COMMERCIAL EGGS IX THE CEXTEAL TVEST. 13 
The bacterial content of these eggs is generally slightly higher 
than in the earlier stage of staleness unless aging has occurred at the 
low temperatures of the egg storage warehouse, when the count is as 
low as or lower ^ than in new-laid eggs. 
This type of deteriorated egg is very common in the breakers" 
stocks, and. indeed, throughout the market seconds in both summer 
and winter, due to rapid deterioration from high temperatures in the 
one case and to the slow deterioration which occurs at 29° to 31° F. 
in the other. The market life of such eggs is shorter than when dete- 
rioration is not so far advanced. Hence the egg shipper with a 
breaking establishment at hand prefers to break and freeze or dry 
these eggs while they are still edible rather than to risk the certain 
losses of a haul to the consumer. 
EGGS CH.\NGED BY EVCUBATION. 
Table 6 shows typical bacterial findings in eggs where deteriora- 
tion had progressed along clilierent lines than those described under 
stale eggs and eggs with settled yolks. In the first group of 20 eggs 
the development of the chick had not reached the blood-forming 
stage, which normally occurs in about '24: hours when the temperature 
is that of the hen. 103° F.. but which had gone sufficiently far for the 
candler to observe a small darkened area on the yolk. This in the 
industry is known as a '' light spot." and when the egg is broken it is 
usually seen as a round area about three-eighths inch in diameter, 
having two distinct zones, an inner and outer circle (see PL II). 
Such eggs, constantly sold in their shells for food purposes, are used 
by the housewife without question if the odor is good and if the 
white and yolk are intact. They do not ship well because the yolk 
membrane is often weak, and many kinds of spoilage may develop in 
them on short notice. Hence they are sent in large numbers to the 
egg breakers in the producing regions. 
- Unpublished results on storage eggs. 
