The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1911-07-27
Federal Officials to Demand
Better Care in Packing
and Storage of Eggs
GUARD PEOPLE FROM FRAUD
Bad Eggs, Broken Eggs and Eggs Not
Up to the Standard to be Placed
Under the Fan by the Pure Food
Laws.

The rotten egg, the broken egg, the
cracked egg, the dirty egg, and the
shrunken egg must go. This is the
edict Of the bureau of chemistry of
the agricultural department and this
bureau has many times demonstrated
that it means business when it goes
out after foodstuffs that are not fit
for human consumption. The bureau
expects to accomplish good deal
under the federal pure food law, but
ut expects greater things from state
authorities, for the reason that only
a small per cent Of the eggs consumed
in the United States enter into inter
state commerce. The bureau officials
also look to public sentiment to help
win the fight that has been undertaken.
According to statistics compiled by
the government authorities, 2,460,000,-
600 dozen eggs are produced in the
United States annually. The value Of
this crop is estimated at $4S5,000,O00.
The bureau of chemistry does not pre-
tend to have accurate information as
to the PERCENTAGE of the egg crop
marketed that is bad, but it has in
vestigated the subject sufficiently to
satisfy itself that the percentage is
large.
New York Record Kept.
A record of 25S,q96 dozen eggs that
were shipped from nine states into
New York city was kept. Tt shows
that Of these 25S,996 dozen eggs, 3.4S
per cent were rotten, sos per cent were
cracked, 10.15 per cent were stale and
1888 per cent dirty. This record COW
.>ered full year s shipment, Calculat-
ing on the basis of New York's egg
receipts, which average about 4,256, 1920
cases q year, it is seen that the rotten
eggs going into New York city in one
year amount to 4,443, 500 dozen.
The food research laboratory Of the
bureau Of chemistry, which has been
making special study Of the egg sit
uatioD points out that though the pro-
duction of eggs is widespread, only the
states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa,
Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri,
Texas Tennessee and Kentucky pro-
duce more than are consumed within
their own borders, and this production
docs not cover the entire year, but
only those months when climatic condi-
tions are favorable to laying. The food
research laboratory answers the ques-
ton, What causes contribute to the
list of undesirable and loss producing
grades Of eggs?" by saying that there
are three main causes: Q) Climatic
conditions. (2) Careless or dehber-
ately bad marketing. 60 Poor care
Of the poultry on the farm.
AAAnulI 10 bLS E1Sl1s
The research bureau reaches the de-
eision that the first responsibility for
the low quality of market eggs rests
ON the farmer and that after him come
the country produce dealer or store
keeper and the shipper who does not
have artificial refrigeration. 1t is
pointed out that usually the farmer
gathers his eggs daily, or he may
gather them at irregular intervals.
The chances are that every sound
shelled egg goes to market regardless
Of the condition inside the she'll The
bureau S investigation showed that af-
ter eggs were gathered on the farm
they are generally kept where the
housewife can most conveniently Get
at them for household use, not where
the temperature is low and the air
fresh Neither does the farmer have
any regular time for taking his stock
Of eggs to market,
In the spring when they are most
plentiful and the market is falling, he
is apt to go weekly, or wait until the
egg peddler calls at the farm. When
the hot weather comes on and the Law
falls of ne waits for a larger number
or is too busy with Crops to drive
to town, meanwhile the shrinking and
incubation is going on rapidly, and
to quote the language of the bureau.
as last insult to the hen which
laid perfectly fresh egg and the con
sumer who wants a perfectly fresh
egg, he often goes to market with an
umbrella over himself, but with the
basket or box of eggs exposed to the
summer sun. = In the autumn, with
a still smaller lay and rising market
the farmer holds his eggs for higher
winter prices.
Eggs as BY Product.
The country merchant, the bureau of
chemistry says, handles eggs as by
product, taking them in exchange for
merchandise He makes his profit on
the merchandise taken in trade not on
the eggs, frequently giving an inflated
Al. I