18 BULLETIN 391. U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
Of the total number of eggs which had been graded by the candle 
as edible. 69. or 3.4 per cent, were found to contain over 500,000 
organisms per gram. (See Table II.) Xearly hah. or 44.9 per cent, of 
these eggs, as computed from Tables II, LX, and XIII. were detected 
when graded out of the shell and eliminated from the composite 
samples. The remaining 55.1 per cent did not show either by appear- 
ance or odor that they were infected, and would have been used by 
egg breakers. A record of the appearance of each of these infected 
eggs is given in Table X. 
T30 
EFFECT OF CONTAMINATED EGGS UPON COMPOSITE PRODUCTS. 
The bacterial contents of the composite samples prepared from the 
eggs graded as good were in proportion to the degree of contamination 
of the eggs constituting them. The percentage of eggs containing 
bacteria in liquid mixtures composed of 69 to 72 eggs varied from to 
21.1 per cent, except in two samples which showed 73.2 per cent and 
100 per cent. These samples represent lots 41192 and 41645 already 
discussed as exceptions on pages 4 and 5. The bacterial counts of the 
composite samples varied from 0. where all eggs were sterile, to 14.000, 
000. where the percentage of eggs with bacteria reached 81.3 per cent. 
(See table XI.) 
The percentage of eggs containing B. coli varied from to 41.8 
per cent in the different composite samples. The number of B. coli 
contributed to the composite product by the individual eggs varied 
from to 500.000 per gram. 
The percentage of ammoniac al nitrogen in the 29 lots of eggs was 
practically the same as that found in the commercial samples of 
frozen eggs. (Tables XI and XTT. 
A survey of the bacterial counts given in Table XI shows decided 
similarity to those obtained in samples from the plants which have 
been cooperating in this investigation (see Table XTT), and which 
have put into practical application the information obtained in the 
laboratory. Apparently certain eggs the condition of which can not 
now be detected by the senses are carriers of bacteria. However, it is 
very seldom that such eggs cause in the composite sample a bacterial 
count of more than a few millions. There is an agreement, also, 
between the number of B. coli in the commercial samples of well- 
handled eggs and the number found in the samples reported in this 
investigation. 
In the cooperating plants the eggs were handled in refrigerated 
rooms, broken according to a routine involving strict cleanliness, 
and graded in accordance with the best available information. 
Faulty grading of the breaking stock either during candling or 
breaking may result in serious bacterial contamination of the product. 
