Preserving Eggs from Household Poultry for Winter Use

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 87, Issue 3, 15 September 1953, Page 215

Preserving Eggs from Household Poultry for Winter Use

EGG production varies with the period of the year and household poultry keepers who keep a record of eggs laid by their birds will have noticed that production gradually increases during the latter part of July and rises to a maximum in September and October*. This is what is commonly referred to as the flush season, and many householders with small numbers of birds are getting more eggs in a week than can be conveniently consumed by the family, but 6 months from now these birds will probably be laying insufficient eggs for total household requirements. During September and October, therefore, the household poultry keeper should preserve eggs for late autumn and winter, when production is lower and egg prices reach their peak. The task is not difficult and does not involve any heavy costs. Furthermore the. household poultry keeper is most favourably placed in that fresh eggs, only a matter of hours in age, can be preserved—a most important aspect of satisfactory egg preservation. In this article the Animal Industry Division describes the class of egg required for preserving and methods of preserving. 1 'T’HE subject of preserving can be J- conveniently divided under two headingsthe class of egg required and methods of preserving. Class of Egg Required As has already been indicated, the first essential for good preservation is

that the e Sgs must be fresh. This presents no difficulty .to the household poultry keeper, who can put eggs into preservative daily after collection from the poultry shed. Such eggs, however, should be cooled before being placed in preservative. Eggs are often warm when collected from the nestbox, particularly at this time of yearj if heavy breed or crossbreed birds are kept and a bird is occasionally broody. Such a bird will sit all

day on a nest where there are eggs, It is desirable to preserve clean-shelled eggs only and not cleaned ones, particularly dirty or stained eggs which have been washed in water, The shells of the eggs chosen should be sound throughout and preferably not rough at the large end, as such shells are usually poor and porous at the large end. Eggs with fine or hair cracks should not be used for preserving. These fine cracks are most diffi-

cult to. see, but if two eggs (one . in each hand) are gently' tapped together, from the sound produced it is possible to detect the cracked egg. Uncracked eggs give a clear, metallic “chink”, whereas when there is a cracked egg the sound is duller and has a cracked character. Size and shape of egg are immaterial, provided ■ the shells are sound, and. colour is of no importance. It is unpleasant and unappetising to break open an eggwhether fresh or preserved—to find a blood spot or other discoloration of the contents. Thus, before eggs are preserved it is sound practice to candle them. This is done by placing the egg before an opening of the appropriate size in a piece of wood or cardboard behind which is an electric bulb. This lights up the contents of the egg. For obvious reasons it is easier to candle eggs in darkness or in a subdued light. When an egg is being held before the light it should be rotated sharply so that the yolk inside is moved, and small black spots or specks' which move as the egg is rotated should be watched for. These black spots are blood spots. In a fresh egg the yolk appears as an oval shadow only, and is more easily seen when the egg is twisted sharply than when it is stationary before the candling lamp. Should the yolk be dark and well defined, it is probable that it is either very dark (deep orange) or discoloured (greenish). To avoid disappointment later it is wiser to use such

eggs after they have been candled instead of putting them into the preservative. . A suspected egg can be broken into a cup or saucer before use to ascertain whether or not the dark yolk is normal. . When candling is being done it is possible to detect cracks in the shell, however fine they may be, and to note the general soundness of' the texture of the shell. - A final condition, of considerable importance, is that for preserving it is desirable to use infertile eggs, that is, eggs from birds which have not been mated with a . male bird. The warmer the weather is the more important this becomes. A fertile egg contains a germ which in warm weather or if the egg is left under a broody hen all day starts to develop. Later it will die and in some cases will start deterioration in a preserved egg. Methods of Preserving The principle of preserving eggs is to seal up the pores of the shell to exclude all air and undesirable organisms which could cause the contents of the egg to break down. Perhaps the oldest and most popular method of . preserving eggs is by the use of a waterglass solution. Proprietary products of this kind are easily obtainable and are invariably accompanied with full directions for use. Earthenware crocks, tins, or galvanised buckets may be used for storing eggs> in waterglass; the vessel should have preferably a wide opening so that eggs may be placed in and removed from the liquid with ease. The use of a wire basket which fits into the storage utensil as shown in the illustration at the bottom of the previous page assists in the removal of eggs. It is not wise to use an unusually deep vessel, as the pressure on the bottom layers of eggs may cause cracked eggs, which will be completely spoilt by the preserving liquid. When eggs are preserved by the waterglass method a cover should always be placed on the vessel to reduce evaporation of the liquid to a minimum. The eggs should be stored in a cool place. ' Eggs preserved in waterglass should be used chiefly for cooking, as when they are boiled the shells are liable to burst. Another preserving product offered for sale is a semi-solid substance similar to petroleum jelly for smearing over the surface of ; egg shells. This -prevents air entering the shell and also stops all evaporation of the

contents of the egg. Obviously .treating eggs in this manner is more tedious and takes more time than placing eggs in a liquid. It is, however, a satisfactory method for handling small numbers of eggs. Care should be taken to store eggs' so treated in a cool place where there is a minimum change of temperature, as temperature changes will affect this type of preserved egg more quickly than those preserved in liquid in a covered vessel. . , . Strong Smells Taint Eggs An important fact' sometimes overlooked by householders is that eggs will readily absorb strong smells such as those from kerosene, fish, and even oranges. Eggs are similar to milk in this respect. Therefore, if eggs are held in the house for a few days before they are preserved, it is essential to keep them away from any strong odours. Unless care is taken in this, the eggs may have a pronounced flavour when they, are taken out of the preserving material, which may be blamed erroneously for a strong flavour in the egg. . Generally .it is not recommended that duck eggs be preserved by themethods described.

F 3 ’33 al 3 n 7 I Book Review j B , 1-in 1 1 it ii 11 fTTri r“Development of Agricultural Education in New Zealand”: L. J. Wild' ■ THE whole subject of agricultural education has come - to the fore once again, and it is. particularly opportune that while discussions arein progress a penetrating study of the development of higher education in. agriculture should be published. Mr. Wild is well qualified to undertakethis task, his short book being based on the Macmillan Brown lectures which he delivered in Christchurch last year. The Canterbury pioneers showed foresight and energy in establishing Canterbury Agricultural College; unfortunately the college was not able for many years to exert that influence on the country’s farming that its founders had desired. One problem which faced its founders and is. still .unresolved is whether the college should concentrate its energies on training agricultural scientists or on giving practical farmers a scientific background. Today the problem has. become one of reconciling the growing need for greater specialisation with the need for a training, especially for extension work, which enables a man. to see a farm as a whole. Mr. Wild is not sparing in criticism, and the parochial rivalries which have beset higher education in New Zealand from the beginning are ironically described. He concludes by drawing attention to some of the questions, not by any means new, that will demand more attention in futureeducation in veterinary science and in forestry.. Past experience should at least afford some guidance here. —P.R.S. Whitcombe and Tombs Ltd. 3s. 6d<.