34 BULLETIN 1775, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
cases and excelsior, but the strawboard fillers and flats possess an 
odor more nearly resembling that found in storage eggs. The 
fillers and flats become slightly damp in storage, due to the absorption 
of moisture evaporating from the eggs and the air of the room, and 
acquire a stronger odor than when dry. Experiments which will be 
described in connection with another investigation show that when 
eggs are protected from air by immersion in a preserving liquid and 
held in cold storage, the typical ‘‘cold storage taste’ does not de- 
velop. This shows almost conclusively that the ‘‘storage taste’’ is 
a foreign flavor absorbed by the eggs. 
Dirty and cracked eggs absorb this flavor more quickly and to a 
greater extent than do eggs with clean shells. Although summer 
eges usually do not keep as well in storage as spring eggs, they are 
preferable in winter from the point of view of flavor, because they 
have not been held in storage as long as the spring eggs. A 
‘‘storage’’ flavor can usually be found in April stock in November, 
in May eggs in December, in June eggs in January, and in July eggs 
in February. 
SUMMARY. 
(1) Practically all the eggs used in these investigations were pro- 
duced in the Middle West and all were stored in warehouses located 
in the Hast. 
(2) Freshly laid eggs with clean whole shells that have not been wet 
show a negligible loss in bad eggs, even after 10 to 11 months in storage. 
(3) Imperfections in commercial handling, grading, and marketing 
previous to storage are mainly responsible for the bad eggs developing 
in commercial eggs during storage. 
(4) The preservation in the shell of undergrade eggs, such as dirty, 
cracked, leaking, heated, and stale eggs, should not be attempted- 
If not marketed for prompt consumption, the contents should be re- 
moved under proper conditions and frozen. The frozen product will 
keep for a year or more, whereas there would be a marked de- 
terioration in quality, if the eggs were stored in the shell. 
(5) Spring eggs on the market are usually fresher than summer 
eggs, and for that reason keep better in storage. Most of the eggs 
stored are produced in the spring. 
(6) The commercial selection by inspection and clicking of clean 
eges with sound shells from current receipts is inefficient. Commer- 
cial packages of spring firsts when ready to be taken to the storage 
rooms showed an average of 17.5 cracked eggs and 1 leaking egg to 
the case. Dirty and stained eggs were often included. Owing to 
the high quality of spring stock, there was usually less than 1 bad 
egg to the case initially present as found by candling. 
(7) Candling is a much more accurate method for the selection ot 
eggs for storage. By this method eggs can be graded according to 
