OLD EGGS SOLD AS FRESH

Taranaki Daily News, 13 September 1934, Page 13

OLD EGGS SOLD AS FRESH

CHILLING NOT DISCLOSED.

PROFIT OF 100 PER CENT. ALLEGED,

Thousands of chilled eggs which had been in store for months were sold this winter as fresh eggs, asserts the New Zealand Poultry Board, in support of measures it is taking to regulate the sale of eggs on the local market. “While every egg that is exported must be thoroughly tested for freshness and quality, and every crate must be marked with the weight of the eggs therein, together with the grader’s certificate, eggs for local consumption may be offered for sale without any indication whatever of the quality of their contents—whether new laid, fresh, stale or chilled,” the board states. “The board is advocating that all eggs placed in cool stores shall be marked ‘chilled.’ Many thousands of eggs which had been in cool storage for months were sold to consumers and to retailers during this winter without any indication •of being ‘chilled,’ and actually at the same price as fresh eggs, being frequently mixed with the latter, although they had been in storage for periods ranging up to six months. Bought at lOd or lid per dozen during last spring, and sold in the winter at about 2s, in competition with producers’ fresh eggs, these investments or speculations showed a net nroflt of about 100 per cent, for six months. “It is not suggested that efficient cool storage results in serious deterioration of the wholesomeness and food value of eggs, but they should be sold on their merits, and priced accordingly. Official returns show that 115,159 . dozen eggs were in cool stores in the Dominion on March 31, 1934, and only 2737 dozen on July 31. As far as is known, ‘chilled’ eggs were not offered for sale as such, and the only reasonable assumption, supported by reliable information, is that the buyers believed they were being supplied with fresh eggs. “Regulations now in force provide that preserved eggs shall be stamped with the word ‘preserved,’ and this fact supports the board’s contention that appropriate regulations for the sale of ‘chilled’ eggs should be brought down as soon as possible. The board has requested the Government to bring down regulations to provide for the grading of eggs offered for sale to the public, eggs to be graded for quality and size as may be prescribed, the grade to be stamped on each egg. The Department of Agriculture has informed the board that the matter of preparing proposed regulations is in hand.”