U. S. Standards for Quality of Individual Shell Eggs and the Relationships Between Candled Appearance and More Objective Quality Measures

A MAJOR problem in classifying eggs into various quality categories is the lack of an objective means of determining differences among eggs of varying interior quality. Candling is the only method being used commercially at the present time. Therefore in specifying quality differences, those factors which are apparent when the egg is candled must be used. Four quality grades (AA, A, B, C) for eggs with clean shells are included in the latest U. S. Standards (1946). The specifications include factors relating to the shell, aircell, white and yolk. The shell must be unbroken for all quality categories. “Normal” shells or departures therefrom determine the quality into which the egg is placed. Aircell factors considered are depth and regularity. White condition is determined by the degree of firmness, clearness, and defects. Yolk condition is based on yolk centering and movement, outline, and degree of defects. It is obvious that in . . .