48 
BULLETIX 51, U. S. DEPAETMEXT OF AGKICULTVEE. 
Table 19.— Small samples of eggs with the yolks Iteginning to seep into the 
whites. 
Sample 
Source. 
Date of 
collec- 
tion. 
Total number of bac- 
teria per gram on 
plain agar incuba- 
ted at— 
Number 
of gas- 
producing 
bacteria 
Gelatin 
liquefy- 
ing organ- 
isms per 
gram. 
Percentage of 
ammoniacal 
nitrogen, Fo- 
lin method. 
Per- 
cent- 
age of 
mois- 
ture. 
Size of 
sam- 
20° C. 
37° C. 
in lactose 
bile. 
Wet 
basis. 
Dry 
basis. 
ple. 
4194 
El 
D 1 
D 1 
Di 
E2 
D2 
D2 
D5 
D6 
D6 
1912 
Apr. 25 
May 6 
MaV 7 
MaV 9 
MaV 17 
MaV 27 
MaV 28 
Aui 2 
Aug. 19 
Aug. 21 
2,600 
67,000 
100 
22.000,000 
100,000 
44,000 
300 
3,900,000 
in 10, 000 
17,003 
3,900 
21,000 
400 
21,000,000 
21,000 
5,000 
100 
3, 500, 000 
Oi.ilO,000 
7,500 

100 

Gin 10, 000 
in 10, 000 
Eggs. 
^51 
4266 
0. 0017 
0.0062 
72.61 
8 
1 
5 
2 
2 
5 
1 
4 
4290 
4357 

10 


in 100 
in 100 
10 
in 10, 000 
900,000 
in 10, 000 
.0021 
.0077 
72.58 
4406 
442S 
.0020 
.0076 
73. 76 
4895 

.0023 
.0078 
70.54 
41001 
41032 
.0018 
.0072 
74. 9S 
Table 19 shows that the number of bacteria varied from 100 per 
gram at 20° C. to 100.000 in eight samples and from 3,900.000 to 
22,000.000 in the other two. Xo explanation can be given of the 
cause of the last two counts other than that they may represent 
transitional stages between yolks beginning to mix and those entirely 
mixed with white. It was shown on page 30 that the latter are 
heavily infected with organisms. There were no B. coli in one-half 
of the S23ecimens and only a few in the remaining half. The amount 
of jDrotein deterioration was no greater than that found in seconds 
and cracked eggs. 
Only three samples were taken of eggs with the yolk entering the 
white through small apertures in the vitelline membrane. The speci- 
mens consisted of individual eggs and were practically sterile. 
During the latter jDart of July two samjjles were taken, consisting, 
in one case, of 30 dozen eggs, and in the other of 11 dozen, which. 
before the candle, appeared to have broken yolks but were other- 
wise normal. On opening the eggs it was found that the gr a ding- 
hy the candle was not accurate, because among them was a large 
number of eggs which were approaching the stage of white rots. The 
large sample was opened without much care in gi'ading; the smaller 
one was broken, and every egg. which appeared to have j^assed the 
first stage of physical degeneration was eliminated. The difference 
between the laboratory results of the two samples was striking. - The 
jjoorty gxaded sample contained 8.300,000 bacteria per gi-am. 1.000,000 
B. coli per gram, and 0.0028 per cent of ammoniacal nitrogen on 
the wet basis; the well gTaded one, 5,500 organisms per gi\am. 10 
B. coli^ and 0.0021 per cent of loosely bound nitrogen. This experi- 
ment is a good example of the effect of careful and intelligent grad- 
ing on a product prepared from doubtful eggs. 
These preliminary studies indicate that eggs with yolks showing 
the first signs of deterioration are suitable for food purposes, if 
