United States Department of Agriculture

Agricultural Marketing Service

Poultry Programs

Quality

Eggs for

Volume

Buyers

Washington, DC 20250-02581400 Independence Avenue, SWSTOP 0258, Room 3938-SouthUSDA, AMS, Poultry Programs

Attention

•Food Service Operators

•Retailers

•Manufacturers

•Brokers

•Wholesalers

•Exporters

For information about:

Shell egg grading and

certification services

Contact:

USDA, AMS, Poultry Programs

1400 Independence Avenue, SW

STOP 0258, Room 3938-South

Washington, DC 20250-0258

Phone: (202) 720-3271

www.ams.usda.gov/poultry

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its 

programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, 

or because all or a part of an individual's income is derived from any public 

assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons 

with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program 

information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's 

TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of 

discrimination write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 

Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 

795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity 

provider and employer.

August 2003

AMS-627

Slightly Revised December 2008

Services for

Volume Egg Buyers

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA),

Agricultural Marketing Service, offers voluntary

grading and contract certification services for 

volume egg buyers. These services are provided on a fee basis to those who request them.

They are performed by professional, qualified 

USDA graders.

Eggs graded according to established official

U.S. quality standards are identified by the

grademarks below:

Eggs certified to meet export requirements

specified by a foreign government are identified

by the symbol below:

USDA Shell Egg Grading and

Certification Services

Provide Many Benefits

Independent, third-party certification of shell egg quality based on

U.S. standards.

Certification that purchases meet contract specifications for quality, 

grade, weight, quantity, temperature, packaging, packing, transportation,

or other desired product characteristics.

Certification that product meets import requirements established by foreign 

government authorities.

Assurance of product quality on a continuous basis regardless

of supplier.

Continuous monitoring of plant facilities and processing equipment to

ensure appropriate sanitary standards are met.

Assurance that plants use only USDA-approved chemicals, compounds,

insecticides, and rodenticides.

Identification of eggs with a USDA plant number and code date to facilitate

an immediate traceback, if necessary.

Establishment of a common language that enables buyers and sellers to 

communicate about egg quality and other characteristics without actually

seeing the product.

Establishment of a basis for fair, competitive bidding between suppliers.

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GRADED FOR

EXPORT

P-420G
Know the Eggs You Buy

Look for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) grademark when buying eggs.

It identifies eggs that have been examined and certified by a USDA grader for the

quality and size indicated. Both U.S. Grade AA and A eggs are most commonly 

found in retail stores. U.S. Grade B eggs are usually used in further processed foods.

U.S. Quality Standards—Condition of the white, yolk, and shell

AA QUALITY A QUALITY B QUALITY

Egg content covers a small

area. White is firm, has a significant amount of thick white surrounding the yolk and small

amount of thin white. Yolk 

is round and upstanding.

Egg content covers a moderate

area. White is reasonably firm, 

has a considerable thick white 

and medium amount of thin 

white. Yolk is round and 

upstanding.

Egg content covers a very wide

area. White is weak and watery, 

has little or no thick white, large 

amount of thin white is thinly

spread. Yolk is enlarged and 

flattened.

U.S. Weight Classes (size)—Minimum weight per dozen eggs

Condition

of the

white and yolk

Uncooked

U.S. quality standards apply to raw eggs.

The photos below show how eggs of different quality levels will look during poaching and frying.

Poached

Fried

Condition

of the

shell

AA AND A QUALITY B QUALITY

Sound (unbroken), free from

cracks and thin spots. Clean

and free of stains or discolorations that are readily visible.

Somewhat unusual or decidedly

misshapen or faulty in strength

or soundness. May show 

pronounced ridges or thin spots.

Scattered moderate stains covering approximately 1/16 of the

shell surface.

United States Department of Agriculture • Agricultural Marketing Service • Poultry Programs