Grading Requirements For The Export of Eggs

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19106, 29 August 1936, Page 13

Grading Requirements For The Export of Eggs

ALTHOUGH Gisborne poultry producers may not be in a position to take advantage of the export of eggs, they can prepare for the time when the railway may be a help.

Steps taken now on the right lines should bo the means of educating producers to the necessity of treating the poultry and handling their eggs in the manner required for export, and as all egg producers, small as well as large, are asked to co-operate in the exports for their general good, the following statements in the Journal of Agriculture by the chief poultry instructor, Mr. C. .T. C. Cusseu, should be of interest to all in the Gisborne district:—

“The most- desirable qualities in a good marketable egg are freshness, cleanliness, flavour, and size. As the eggs arrive at the export floor, they are unpacked on to trays and graded to size. Cracked, dirty, or mis-shaped eggs, or those too small, are rejected. All eggs are then individually tested before a strong light lor freshness. The air-cell must not. be more than 3/lßih. in depth, contents must be stationary, white firm and clear, yolk dimly visible through shell, of good colour, and no process of putrefaction and no development of the ovum must have taken place.

“It is doubtful if there is another product where value depends more directly on freshness tliah an egg. When first laid an egg is practically full of liquid, but, as the shell is porous, the liquid gradually evaporates, leaving an air-space. Thus the older the egg the larger the aircell becomes. Some egg-shells are more porous than others, and the more porous shells allow a more rapid evaporation to take place; nevertheless, the size of the air-cell is a good general guide as to the age of the egg, and if the air-cell is more Ilian 3/l(iin. in depth such eggs aro rejected for export. Low Temperatures.

“This drying-down process is naturally more rapid during hot dry weather, or if eggs while being held for market arc stored in warm or hot places. The keeping-quality of all eggs is affected if exposed to a temperature above 90 degrees. Fertile eggs deteriorate if exposed to a temperature of 70 degrees. Eggs actually aro fresher after three weeks’ storage in a cool, dry place than after a week in a temperature of 70 degrees. For these reasons, when eggs are being held before marketing, it is advisable to keep them in a cool, dry place. “Musty or Tainted Eggs—Flavour is a verv important factor in an egg, and one of the worst eggs a bhker has to contend with is the musty egg, owing to the fact that one such egg is likely to destroy the flavour of a whole cake mixture. Musty eggs, which aro difficult to detect, may be caused by the feeding of musty grain or other foods. At times ihens that have free access to pigsties or manure-heaps are apt to pick up unpleasantly flavoured food, and that taint may at times be transmitted to the egg. Again, musty eggs are often due to being laid on damp straw or nests, or being packed in damp, musty fillers; and also if allowed to stand in damp, musty fillers for forty-eight hours their flavour is likely to be affected. “Some liens lay an egg that may taste stale, but mustiness and undesirable flavours in eggs can usually be avoided by care and attention to details. Where good sound food is fed, plenty of good, clean, dry nestingmaterial provided, and if care is taken to see that eggs are collected regularly, stored in a dry cool place free from unpleasant odours, and sent to market in clean, dry cases and tillers, there should be little trouble from musty eggs. Soiled Eggs Rejected.

“Soiled Eggs. —Only absolutely clean eggs can be passed for export, and it is safe to say that more eggs have had to be rejected on account oi the shells being more or less soiled tlinn from any other cause. It has often been very disappointing to those at the grading-store to have to reject otherwise fine eggs on that account. “If clean nests were provided, say one to each four or five birds, and eggs were collected twice a day, es peciallv in wet weather, much of this trouble would be avoided. In this connection, it is a good idea to have a tin. box, or spare nest covered up and whenever the fowlhouse is visited to put the eggs into that receptacle to hold until the usual collections arc made, thereby saving many eggs from becoming soiled because of hens walk--lii" over them.

"‘lt is preferable that eggs for export should not be washed. However, when eggs become so soiled that they need washing, it is better to wash them in warm water as soon as they have been collected and before the animal heat leaves the eggs, as they are much less trouble to clean then. Washed eggs should never be placed in cardboard fillers until they arc thoroughly dry. Badly stained eggs may be cleaned for table use by soaking them in a solution of *» parts ot water to 1 of vinegar.

“Eggs having watery whites and tremulous air-cells have to he rejected, as such eggs dry down more rapidly. A great, deal of investigational work has been carried out by workers all over the world, and by this Department, to ascertain the definite cause or causes ot this detect. Authorities have mentioned several likely contributing causes, stifh as the physical condition of the hen, lack ot or too much green tood, insufficient animal food, or allowing eggs to get into a sweated condition. However, tests have shown (lint the method ot packing Ims a big influence on the internal condition of many eggs, and, if packed with tho largo on<l down, this defect is likely to bo produced. Better results arc obtained when holding 6ggs for market, and especially when packing for transport to market, by taking care that all eggs are packed with the small end down. Shell Texture and. Size. ‘ ‘ Carriers. —Each season quite a number of more or less broken ciates arrive at the grading-stores. Amt only have many eggs been broken on t his account, but other eggs have had to