UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



S\J9*<$ZSU 



i BULLETIN No. 224 



Contribution from the Bureau of Chemistry 

 CARL L. ALSBERG, Chief 



Washington, D. C. 



PROFESSIONAL PAPER 



April 28, 1916 



A STUDY OF THE PREPARATION OF FROZEN AND 

 DRIED EGGS IN THE PRODUCING SECTION. 



By M. E. Pennington, Chief, Food Research Laboratory, M. K. Jenkins, Assistant 

 Bacteriologist, and W. A. Stocking, formerly Bacteriological Expert, assisted by 

 S. H. Ross, E. Q. St. John, Norman Hendrickson, and W. B. Hicks of the Food 

 Research Laboratory and the Omaha Food and Drug Inspection Laboratory. 1 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 



Introduction 1 



Review of the egg-breaking houses as seen in 



1911 2 



Plan for the experimental work of 1912 3 



General statement of the investigation and 



the results 4 



Classes of eggs presenting special problems . . 9 

 Comparative study in two houses on eggs be- 

 fore and after desiccation 15 



Comparison of the liquid product from three 



houses in 1912 16 



Page. 

 General summary of laboratory results on 



commercial samples, 1912 18 



Conclusions. 20 



Glossary 21 



Appendix 22 



Details of experiments in each cooperat- 

 ing house, 1911 and 1912 22 



Tabulated results 64 



INTRODUCTION. 



The origin of the investigation of the preparation of frozen and dried eggs has been 

 set forth in Circular 98 2 of the Bureau of Chemistry. The need, from an economic 

 viewpoint as well as that of wholesomeness, for the conservation of certain eggs out 

 of their shells is also discussed in the circular cited. In the pursuance of the plan of 

 work therein outlined, a study has been made of the various types of eggs going to 

 the egg-breaking establishments in the egg-producing section. The results of this 

 part of the investigation are given in Bulletin 51 of the Department of Agriculture. 



The next step in logical sequence would be a study of the conditions prevailing 

 in egg-breaking houses and the quality of the product sent into commerce. In the 

 preliminary survey of the problem, as given in Circular 98, and the general observa- 

 tions made to determine methods of procedure and points of attack, a policy of co- 

 operative work with the industry was outlined. These tentative plans were ulti- 

 mately followed, and the information gained by uniting the observation and experi- 

 mentation in the packing house with the analytical data of the laboratory is collected 

 in the present publication. 



The body of the bulletin gives a general statement of the work done and the find- 

 ings which should be of interest to the general egg industry, but more particularly 

 to manufacturers of frozen and dried products and bakers who use these products. 

 In the appendix are given details of the investigation of use to those who have the 

 actual management of egg-breaking plants and to chemists and bacteriologists en- 

 gaged in food investigations. 



1 The assistance of J. M. Johnson and H. W. Houghton in the making of the chemical analyses during 

 the active season of 1911 is hereby acknowledged. 



a Practical Suggestions for the Preparation of Frozen and Dried Eggs, M. E. Pennington, Food Research 

 Laboratory, Bureau of Chemistry, U. S. Department of Agriculture. 



