46 
BULLETIX 51, V. S. DEPAETMEXT OF AGEICULTUEE. 
composed of five eggs with a similar but not strong odor contained 
550.000 bacteria per gi\am and showed the low amount of ammoniacal 
nitrogen of 0.0016 per cent on the wet basis. Further tests are 
necessary before it can be positivelY stated whether the faint odor 
of warm cracked eggs is due to bacterial action or to absorption from 
surrounding materials. Experienced egg breakers reccgnize the 
characteristic odor of warm checks and do not discard them. 
Quite different were the restilts of the examination of two indi- 
vidual eggs, the odor of which was suggestive of the products of 
bacterial growth. The eggs, normal in appearance, differed from 
each other only in the intensity of the odor. The count of the egg 
with the faint odor was 12.000.000. of the one with the strong odor 
150.000.000. These eggs would be detected by careful gTading and 
eliminated fi-om a food product. 
On account of the damaged shell, checks in a short time become 
infested with bacteria or molds or both. This restilt is hastened 
when the shells are soiled with the leakage from other eggs. From 
different lots of cracked eggs there were ^elected six samples consist- 
ing of from 4: to 12 eggs with moldy shells. Xo eggs were included 
unless the contents were normal in appearance, taste, and odor. 
Table IS shows that there was a coimt of 160.000 in one sample and 
of from 1.200.000 to 12.000.000 in the other five. These results prove 
that even if the contents of cracked eggs with moldy shells smell, 
taste, and look good th.e egg substance is infected with bacteria as well 
as with molds. 
Table IS. — Cracked iggs iciilL moldu ,'<heJls opened commerclaJhj In packing 
house. 
pie 
Source. 
Date of 
collec-- 
tion. 
Total number c 
bacteria per 
gram en plain 
agar at— 
20° C. : 37° C. 
Num- 
I ber of 
gas-prc- 
i ducing 
bacteria 
I per 
gram in 
lactose 
bfle. 
Gelatin 
lique- 
fying 
organ- 
isms per 
gram. 
Percentage 
of ammonia- 
cal nitro- 
gen. Folia 
method. 
Wet 
basis. 
Dry 
basis. 
Per 
cent 
of 
mois- 
ture. 
Size of 
sample. 
Descrip- 
tion. 
4241 
439S 
4.5S;3 
4.596 
410221 
1 1912. ! 
F 1| May 2 1, 200, 000 L 300. C>00; 
! I I i 
F 1 Mav 3 ; 2,700,000'l,7CfO,000' 
D2 Mav 27 4. 0^j0,CO0'3. lO-O.OOO; 
D 3 June 20 ; S. &0, 000 5, 400. 000 
E 4 June 24 ,12. COO. 000.5,900.000' 
D 6 Aug. 20 I Ic^, 000 140. 000 
230.000 
10 15. 000 
100 Oin 1,000 
1001 40. OGO 

1.0001 ; 
I I 
69.31 S eggs. 
.0013 
. C019 
.0021 
.0025 
.0019 
.0043 
.0058 
.0070 
.OOSS 
.00(>4 
C8.26 
67.17 
70.18 
71.76 
70.23 
12 eggs. 
8 eggs.. 
4 eggs . . 
Odor and 
taste 
good. 
Do. 
Odor good. 
Do. 
Do. 
Do. 
MOLDY CRACKED EGGS COMPARED WITH XOXMOLDY CRACKED EGGS. 
41036 
41037 
D6 
D6 
Aug. 21 
Aug. 21 
■22. 000, 000 13,000,000 
2,700,0001.700,000 
100.000 
0.0023:9.0078 
.0022 .0079 
70.39 nibs.. 
I 
72.09 4SIbs.. 
Moldv 
shells. 
Xon moldy 
s h ells 
from 
same lot 
as 41036. 
