Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1919-10-24
BAD EGGS found
!! AFTER STORAGE
lmperfections in Handling, Grad.
ing and Marketing Are Mainly
j. j. Responsible. 4Ial.st
SPRING EGGS keep BETTER
Only Clean, Fresh Product With Sound
Shells Should Be Stored-Selec-
ton Method Is Said to Be
Cause of Deterioration.

prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture0
Freshly laid eggs, with clean, whole
shells that have not been wet show
negligible loss in bad eggs, even
after 10 or IL months in storage. I'm
oerfections in commercial handling,
grading and marketing previous to
storage are mainly responsible for bad
eggs developing after storage.
These are two conclusions reached
ey specialists of the United States de-
oartment of agriculture as the result
OF series of experiments with cold
storage eggs recently reported. The
eggs were produced mainly in the mid
lie West, and all were stored in ware.
aouses in the East. Other conclusions
coached were as follows:
Preservation In the shell Of under
grade eggs, including those that are
dirty, cracked, heated or stale should
not be attempted. If not marketed for
prompt consumption, the contents
should be removed under proper con-
flitiOns and frozen. The frozen prod
uct will keep in good condition for
year or more where there would be q
marked loss by spoilage In a few
months If the eggs were stored In the
shell.
Spring eggs on the market are usu-
ally fresher than summer eggs, and for
that reason keep better in storage.
Most of the eggs stored are produced
in the spring.
Selection Method inefficient.
The common method of grading from
current receipts by inspection, and by
clicking to determine cracked shells is
inefficient. Gases Of commercial "spring
firsts," sorted by this method showed,
when ready to be taken to the storage
house, an average Of IT'S cracked eggs
and one leaking egg to the case. Can
ding is much more accurate method
of selecting eggs suitable for storage.
Cases of "spring firsts" graded by
Gambling did not average more than
three cracked eggs to the case when
ready for storage. When examined
after Z to IL months in storage, eggs
selected by clicking showed an aver
age total loss of 1S5-bad eggs per
case, while those selected by Gambling
showed a total average loss Of seven
eggs per case.
Of the average of 1875 bad eggs to
the case when selection was based on
clicking, after long periods in storage,
nine were due to direct spoilage Of
damaged eggs or to their contamina-
tion Of neighboring eggs by molding.
The deterioration of the balance was
charged to deleterious prestorage con-
dttions, such as dirty, stained, washed
or heated eggs, many Of which could
have been eliminated by Gambling.
Changed During Storage.
The rate of evaporation Of moisture
from eggs was remarkably uniform
during >the storage period, averaging
from three to four ounces case a
month. in all OF the storage rooms I'M
der observation. The moisture evap-
grated from the eggs is condensed on
the brine pipes and absorbed by the
air. case, and filters.
Eggs that are. fresh when stored
show after storing an increased air
space and often tinge Of yellow In
the white. The yolk membrane is
slightly weakened, but commercial sep
aration into white and yolk is easily
accomplished, even after IL months in
storage.
The percentage of amm0niacal nj
trogen in eggs increases during stor-
age. the rise being fastest in the early
part of the storage period. The amount
OF ammoniacal nitrogen in eggs is a
good index Of chemical deterioration.
Present evidence, indicates that the
cold-storage taste which begins to de-
velop about the seventh month in stor.
age, and becomes stronger the longer
the eggs are stored is due to the alb.
sorption Of odors from the surround
ing environment, and particularly from
the strawboard filters. Experiments
to prevent absorption Of the taste from
the filters are in progress.
The detailed results Of the investi-
cation are embodied in bulletin,
Commercial Preservation of Eggs by
Cold Storage" to be issued as Depart.
ment of Agriculture Bulletin No. IT'S