That's because the Missouri Department of Agriculture's Division of Weights and Measures inspects eggs sold in Missouri for quality and USDA grade and annually licenses egg processors, dealers and retailers. Last year, department officials conducted more than 7,000 egg inspections and issued more than 4,500 licenses.
Inspectors visit grocery stores across the state to select a sample of eggs from each lot number.
The eggs are then examined under a candling light that allows inspectors to detect yolk quality, cracks and air cells. Eggs that don't meet specified USDA grades and standards are pulled from the shelves. Anyone who buys, sells, or processes eggs in Missouri must be licensed and inspected.