6."^iO Joitnuil (if A</riculturc, Victoiia. \ 15 Nov., 191J>. 



(6) Rate of evaporation of moisture from eggs. 



(7) Rate of absorption of moisture by faso and fillers. 



(8) Physical and cbemieal rbanges in ogf^s during storage. 



(9) Absorption of foreign flavours during storage. 



Pr..\X OP rNVKSTIGATIOX. 



The eggs used were pr.odueed in the middle west corn belts, and 

 shipped east in refrigerator cars, taking from three days to seven days 

 en route. As soon as received, they were transferred to a commission 

 house equipped with chill rooms, a candling and a breaking room, all 

 of which were refrigerated. The examination of the different classes 

 of eggs to determine the relative deterioration consisted in determining 

 the quality of the eggs in the shell hx candling, and out of the shell by 

 appearance, odour, and chemical analysis. The method of separating 

 the edible and inedible eggs by candling and breaking was the same as 

 that followed commercially in up-to-date candling and breaking rooms. 

 The inedible eggs detected by caiidling correspond to those found by 

 the dealers in grading eggs for market, and the bad eggs detected by 

 breaking represent those that would be found when the eggs were opened 

 by the consumer. The eggs were stored at a temperature of from 

 30° to 33^ Fahr. 



Results of thk Tn^vestigatiox. 



The loss in commercial fresh eggs with clean, sound shells was found 

 to be negligible during a period of eleven months. The principal types 

 of bad eggs found were green whites, crusted yolks, mouldy eggs, mixed 

 rots, and wliite rots. The first two types are characteristic of Ava.shed 

 eggs, after storing. Unfortunately it is not possible to detect all washed 

 eggs by inspection of the shell before storing. If the shell of a fresh 

 egg is dirty, its liability to spoil during holding hi cool storage is 

 markedly increased. Among commercial dirty eggs are found some 

 soiled with fseces, mud, and blood, as well as stained eggs showing evi- 

 dence of having been washed, or having come in contact with the wet, 

 muddy feet of hens or w^et nests. Bacteria and moulds can penetrate 

 wet shells even though unhrol'cn, and cause the ogg to rot. It is gene- 

 rally recognised that eggs, with damaged shells, will not keep in storage. 

 The most common form of deterioration of the cracked egg is through 

 mould, and where the shells are dirty, as well as cracked, the losses are 

 very heavy. Only eggs with clean, sound shells should ever be stored. 



Relation of Quality to Pkeskkvation. 



The initial quality of the eggs influences, to a large extent, their pre- 

 servation by cold storage. It does not follow, however, that, because 

 many of the eggs marketed in the summer months are shrunken and 

 heated and do not keep well in storage, the eggs as laid by the hen in 

 summer are not initially as good in quality as those laid in the spring. 

 If summer eggs are delivered to store within forty-eight hours of being 

 laid there is a negligible loss. The bad eggs show a .slight breaking down 

 of Ihe yolk. Eggs with green whites, or crusted yolks, are rarely found 

 amongst summer eggs, because the natural condition of the shell is 



