24 BULLETIN 471, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



realize that she should use eggs most freely when they are most 

 abundant and cheapest. When they are high in price she will either 

 give preference to recipes which call for fewer eggs or she will choose 

 dishes which do not require eggs, and to keep up the nutritive value of 

 the diet will depend more upon milk, cheese, meat, and other things 

 which are similar to eggs in respect to the food materials they 

 supply. 



FROZEN EGGS, DESICCATED EGGS, AND EGG SUBSTITUTES. 



Though eggs, like other animal foods, will keep for a long time 

 when frozen, housekeepers rarely resort to this method of preserving 

 them. It sometimes happens, however, that eggs freeze accidentally. 

 When this is the case they should be thawed slowly (which may be 

 easily accomplished by putting them into cold water and allowing 

 them to stand a sufficient time in a cool place) and used at once. 



Commercial frozen eggs — that is, eggs broken and frozen in large 

 containers, with whites and yolks either separate or mixed — are a 

 common product and have found considerable popularity in bakeries 

 and restaurants, where eggs are used in quantity. Obviously, the 

 quality of the product depends upon the grade of the eggs frozen as 

 well as upon the method of handling. 



Preserving foods by drying them is a method which is common 

 and often very satisfactory. Many housekeepers find it convenient 

 now and then to dry a few egg whites for use in settling coffee or for 

 some similar purpose. This can be done by spreading the white in 

 a thin layer on a platter or other suitable dish and drying it at a 

 gentle heat in the oven or in the sun. 



Several different methods are employed commercially in the prep- 

 aration of egg powders or desiccated eggs true to name. The whole 

 egg may be dried, or the white, or the yolk. The process varies 

 somewhat, the product being sometimes flaky and sometimes a fine, 

 smooth powder. In general, 90 per cent of the water originally 

 present is removed. 



As regards composition, desiccated eggs (see table, p. 6) closely 

 resemble eggs from which the bulk of the water has been removed. 

 Since fresh eggs contain about 75 per cent of water, it would take 

 about 4 pounds to make 1 pound of dry egg. In general, desiccated 

 eggs are readily prepared for use by mixing with a small quantity of 

 water, and practical tests have shown that they give fairly good 

 results when used in cookery. It is also possible to use them, thor- 

 oughly mixed with a small quantity of water, for omelets, etc. 

 According to observation, desiccated eggs keep well and are whole- 

 some if well made and handled. Like frozen eggs, they have much 

 the same food value as fresh eggs. At present they are used chiefly 

 by bakers, being generally cheaper than fresh eggs, particularly in 



