CHAPTER XXX 

 MARKET EGGS 



Quality in Eggs. — Housewives and consumers generally are 

 seldom concerned with any but two kinds of eggs — good eggs and 

 bad eggs. The term good in this sense usually means fresh, and 

 has become synonymous with the idea of desirable quality. A 

 had egg — is a bad egg, commonly thought to be the result of old 

 age, and as such it is condemned. The actual age of an egg, 

 however, is only one of the factors that affect its quality. There 

 are many other equally potent influences, a knowledge of which 

 will be beneficial to those engaged in the production, handling 

 or consumption of eggs. Strictly speaking, the term fresh should 

 mean a definite quality rather than a definite age, for all newly 

 laid eggs are not necessarily good eggs, in a sense that they are 

 desirable as food. An explanation of the reasons for these 

 peculiarities will be set forth in this chapter. In the succeeding 

 paragraphs the term fresh is intended to express prime — superior 

 — quality. 



Strictly Fresh Normal Egg. — Eggs are one of the most difficult 

 food products to grade, not only because each egg must be con- 

 sidered separately, but because an accurate knowledge of the 

 contents cannot be ascertained without destroying the egg. 

 They can be selected for size, shape, color, cleanliness and texture 

 of shell, and freedom from cracks, from external appearances, 

 which is the most common method of grading them. The best 

 method of determining the interior quality is by the process of 

 candling, which is used for commercial purposes. See Fig. 261. 



Composition of the Egg. — The purpose of the normal egg in 

 nature requires that it be of a fairly uniform composition; its 

 contents must be so proportioned as to form the chick without 



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