COLD-STORAGE EGGS. 27 



in the best possible condition for consumption on their arrival on the 

 other side. It does not follow that the detention of birds in a closed 

 cold-storage compartment below the freezing point for the same 

 or greater periods of time will produce the same effect. 



I. COLD-STORAGE EGGS/' 

 PLAN OF WORK. 



The eggs for this investigation were secured from a reliable local 

 dealer, who stated that all were laid on May 23, 1906, and they were 

 placed in storage on the following day. The wood of the crates was 

 thoroughly seasoned and, because of absorption of odors by the eggs, 

 they were made of white wood, gum, or other odorless wood. The 

 strawboard supporting the eggs also affects the odor somewhat. All 

 of the crates were new. 



The eggs were divided into 10 lots of one dozen each for storage 

 and the weight of each dozen taken. One dozen was reserved for 

 immediate analysis ; the others were placed in a storage room having 

 a temperature of 33° F. The weights per dozen on May 24, 1906, 

 were as follows: 



Grams. Grams. 



Dozen No. 2 669 



Dozen No. 3 639 



Dozen No. 4 648 



Dozen No. 5 670 



Dozen No. 6 641 



Dozen No. 7 647 



Dozen No. 8 .647 



Dozen No. 9 612 



Dozen No. 10 611 



Dozen No. 11 623 



At certain intervals, as indicated in the table, a dozen eggs were 

 removed for analysis. Four of these were examined chemically in a 

 raw state and four were hard boiled ; two were used in an attempt to 

 determine volatile sulphur, but as only minute traces were found in 

 either fresh or cold-storage eggs this estimation was excluded. One 

 or two eggs were referred to the bacteriologist for examination, 

 whose findings are given elsewhere in this report. . Samples were sent 

 also to the microscopist. The following determinations were made 

 on whites and yolks, separately, of both boiled and unboiled eggs, 6 

 the weight of the material having been determined before and after 

 cooking: Moisture, ash, ether extract, total sulphur, total phos- 

 phorus, and lecithin phosphorus. The total nitrogen was deter- 

 mined, and also the nitrogen in the form of coagulable proteids, 

 proteoses and peptones, and amido bodies on the boiled samples. 



The moisture, ash, ether extract, total sulphur, and total phos- 

 phorus were determined by the methods of the Association of Official 

 Agricultural Chemists. The lecithin phosphorus was determined 



a Chemical analysis made by F. C. Cook. 



b The separation of the whites and yolks of the unboiled eggs was not satisfactory, 

 and therefore the results were recalculated to the whole egg. See table, page 31. 

 cJJ. S. Dept. Agr., Bureau of Chemistry, Bui. 107, Revised. 



