Introduction

V
Iilc inormation on largcscalc cgg
wasIing and Iandling is rcadily
availallc, tIcrc is lcss inorma
tion availallc on Iandling cggs on a small
or mcdium scalc. TIis pullication covcrs
proactivc mctIods to kccp rccrangc cggs
clcan tIrougI cgg collcction, cgg clcaning,
candling and grading. You sIould lc awarc
o your statc`s rcgulations on tIc salc o cggs
so you will know wIat practiccs arc rcquircd.
Inormation on sulstanccs approvcd or usc in
organic production and cquipmcnt supplicrs
is listcd in tIc !"#$%&# #&()"#*&( scction at
tIc cnd o tIis pullication.
Ior inormation on producing cggs in altcr
nativc and rccrangc poultry production
systcms, scc ATTBA`s Alternative Poultry
Production 8ystems and Outdoor Access.
Keeping eggs clean
Lgg wasIing is an important issuc in altcr
nativc poultry production systcms lccausc
cggs otcn lccomc dirticr in rccrangc
systcms tIan in cagcs. Iust, mud, cccs,
catIcrs and contcnts rom lrokcn cggs
may soil as many as 80 pcrccnt o cggs in
rccrangc systcms (ParkIurst and Hount
ncy, 1988). Irccrangc systcms sIould
minimi zc mud on pasturcs and makc
provisions sucI as pallcts, straw or gravcl
at tIc cntrancc o tIc lird doorways to
clcan tIc cct o Icns cntcring tIc poul
try Iousc. It is also important to maintain
clcan ncsting matcrial. I cggs arc lrokcn
Many small-scale egg producers sell specialty eggs, such as free-range or organic eggs, to the public at
farmers markets and other venues and need to wash the eggs or prepare the eggs for market. Immers-
ing or soaking the eggs in water is not recommended, but small- and medium-scale egg washers that
use brushes and sprayers are very expensive. Small producers often use low-tech methods to clean
eggs, including dry cleaning, dipping and spraying or pouring. Small producers should also candle and
grade eggs to ensure high quality.
A Publication of ATTRANational Sustainable Agriculture Information Service 1-800-346-9140 www.attra.ncat.org
ATTRANational Sustainable
Agriculture Information Service
(www.ncat.attra.org) is managed
by the National Center for Appro-
priate Technology (NCAT) and is
funded under a grant from the
United States Department of
Agricultures Rural Business-
Cooperative Service. Visit the
NCAT Web site (www.ncat.org/
sarc_current.php) for
more information on
our sustainable agri-
culture projects.
By Anne Fanatico, Ph.D.,
and Betsy Conner
NCAT Poultry Specialists
2009 NCAT
Small-Scale
Egg Handling
Contents
Introduction ..................... 1
Keeping eggs clean ....... 1
Egg collection .................. 2
Cleaning ............................ 2
Candling ............................ 4
Grading .............................. 5
Methods for washing,
candling, and
grading .............................. 5
Storage and
distribution ....................... 9
Site facility ...................... 10
Egg products ................. 10
Government regulations
and grading .................... 10
Organic egg
handling .......................... 11
Conclusion ...................... 11
References ...................... 11
Further resources ......... 12
Page 2 !""#! Small-Scale Egg Handling
Alternative Poultry
Production Systems
and Outdoor Access
Growing Your Range
Poultry Business:
An Entrepreneurs
Toolbox
Organic Poultry
Production in the
United States
Poultry: Equipment for
Alternative Production
Range Poultry
Housing
in tIc ncst tIc otIcr cggs will gct dirty.
HctIods to prcvcnt lrokcn cggs includc
collccting cggs otcn, using a ncst witI a
sloping !oor (roll away ncst) so tIat cggs
rol l to a scparatc col lcct ion arca and
allowing acccss to tIc ncsts only during
tIc morning wIcn most lirds lay. Hcns
sIould not slccp in ncst loxcs lccausc
tIc Icns will dcccatc. TIat dirtics tIc
cggs and prcvcnts tIcm rom rolling out,
incrcasing tIc potcntial or lrcakagc.
Somc ncst loxcs Iavc a grill or door to
kccp lirds out during tIc nigIt, and su"
cicnt pcrcI spacc will allow lirds to roost
at nigIt ratIcr tIan slccp in ncst loxcs.
Providc a su"cicnt ncst arca to prcvcnt
Icns rom laying cggs on tIc !oor wIcrc
tIc cggs arc casily soilcd. I individual
ncst loxcs arc uscd, allow no morc tIan
Icns pcr ncst lox. I communal ncst
loxcs arc uscd, ollow tIc manuacturcr`s
rccommcndat ions. TIc Irccdom Iood
program in tIc LK allows 1 squarc mctcr
or 120 Icns in communal ncst loxcs.
TIis can lc calculatcd as 11 Icns or a
squarc oot. Xcsts sIould lc dcsigncd or
oricntcd to allow lirds to avoid lrigItly lit
arcas during lay; somc ncsts usc curtains
or darkcning.
Egg collection
In laying opcrations, most o tIc cggs
arc gcncrally laid witIin "vc Iours o tIc
"rst ligIt in tIc morning. Collcct cggs
otcn - twicc in tIc morning and oncc
in tIc atcrnoon - to Iclp dccrcasc tIc
numlcr o di rty and lrokcn cggs and
start cooling cggs (Biglcc and Ironing,
1997). Col lcction sIould lc morc rc
qucnt in vcry Iot or cold wcatIcr. Lggs
sIould lc Icld at 0 dcgrccs IaIrcnIcit
and 70 pcrccnt rclativc Iumidity lcorc
clcaning. Lggs storcd at room tcmpcr
aturc, alout 7 dcgrccs, can drop as
mucI as onc gradc pcr day. Lmlryos
can start to dcvclop in crtilc cggs Icld
at a tcmpcraturc alovc 8 dcgrccs or
morc tIan a cw Iours (ParkIurst and
Hountncy, 1988). Kccp cgg tcmpcra
turc rclat ivcly constant unt i l tIc cggs
arc wasIcd to avoid swcating. Swcating
occurs wIcn cggs arc movcd rom cold
storagc to a warm cnvironmcnt. Condcn
sation on tIc suracc o tIc cgg acilitatcs
tIc movcmcnt o microlcs insidc tIc sIcll
duc to moisturc. In tIc past, cggs wcrc
Icld in plasticcoatcd wirc laskcts so tIat
tIc air could circulatc rccly among tIc
cggs and cool tIcm. Xow, cggs arc also
Icld in "lcrloard !ats tIat Iold 80 cggs
pcr !at. HissIapcn, crackcd, lrokcn or
cxtrcmcly dirty cggs sIould lc scparatcd
rom clcan cggs.
Hanual cgg gatIcring is lalor intcnsivc.
An cgg cart, i l lcr lats and a ncarly
storagc sitc wi l l Iclp rcducc lalor. In
mccIanizcd cgg collcction, a moving lclt
lrings tIc cggs to a scction o tIc Iousc
wIcrc tIc cggs can lc packcd into lats.
Lggs arc positioncd in tIc lat witI tIc
small cnd down, tIc samc position tIcy
sIould lc in tIc carton as wcll. Bollaway
ncsts simpliy cgg collcction lccausc tIc
cggs can roll rom tIc slopcd loor o tIc
ncst to a collcction arca or lclt.
Lggs arc idcally packcd witIin 24 Iours
atcr tIcy arc laid. L.S. Icpartmcnt o
Agriculturc (LSIA) rulcs rcqui rc tIat
cggs lc packcd witIin 80 days o lay. In
programs tIat assurc IigI quality, cggs
arc usual ly packcd witIin 8 to 7 days
o lay. It is important to rcmcmlcr not
to storc cggs in coolcrs witI itcms tIat
givc o odors, sucI as onions and citrus,
lccausc tIc cggs can pick up tIc odor
tIrougI tIc sIcll`s porcs.
Cleaning
Lggs arc clcancd to rcmovc dclris and
stains and rcducc tIc microlial load.
Lxccssivcly di rty cggs sIould not lc
clcancd, lut ratIcr discardcd.
Dry cleaning
A sligItly dirty cgg can lc lrusIcd witI an
cgg lrusI or rullcd witI a sanding spongc
and sandpapcr.
Related ATTRA
Publications
Page 3 !""#! www.attra.ncat.org
Wet cleaning
Xaturally, tIc cgg Ias good dccnscs to
Iclp protcct tIc cmlryo during inculation.
TIc sIcll is covcrcd ly a waxy laycr (tIc
cuticlc) tIat Iclps prcvcnt microlcs rom
cntcring tIc porcs tIat allow tIc passagc
o gascs. TIc cuticlc is not impcnctrallc
and watcr on tIc suracc o tIc cgg sIcll
can undcrminc tIcsc dccnscs lccausc
watcr Iclps lactcria pass tIrougI tIc sIcll
porcs into tIc cgg. I tIc pcriod o contact
lctwccn cgg and watcr is sIort, tIcrc will
lc littlc microlial pcnctration into tIc cgg
(Zcidlcr, 2002). TIcrcorc it is important
to limit tIc amount o timc tIat tIc sIcll
is wct. Soaking cggs in watcr or as littlc
as 1 to 8 minutcs can allow microlcs to
pcnctratc tIc sIcll (Zcidlcr, 2002).
AltIougI tIc LSIA docs not allow immcr
sion wasIing (allowing cggs to stand or
soak i n watcr), most smal l produccrs
arc not opcrating undcr LSIA rcquirc
mcnts. Host opcratc undcr cxcmptions to
statc cgg laws and wasIing mctIods arc
usual ly not spcciicd. Smal lscalc cgg
wasIing sIould takc placc witI a continuous
!ow o watcr, sucI as dipping, spraying
or pouring, tIat allows tIc watcr to drain
away rom tIc cggs.
Unly potallc watcr sIould lc uscd or
clcaning. According to tIc LSIA, iron
lcvcls in tIc watcr must not lc IigIcr
tIan 2 parts pcr million (ppm). Lgg wIitc
docs not contai n i ron and tIi s Iclps
prcvcnt microlial growtI, lut i i ron
is introduccd it may inducc spoilagc o
tIc cgg contcnts (Zcidlcr, 2002).
Intcrcstingly, in Luropc Cradc A cggs
arc not wasIcd. TIis practicc is a rcsult
o rcscarcI donc in tIc carly 1900s tIat
indicatcd wasIing cggs lcorc storagc
rcsultcd in unprcdictallc and somctimcs
dclctcrious rcsults. Howcvcr, tIc lcngtI
o wasI timc, clcanlincss and tcmpcra
turc o tIc watcr and tIc propcr usc o
sanitizcrs varicd widcly in tIcsc studics
(HutcIison ct al., 2008).
Xotc tIat wasIing cggs can damagc tIc
cut iclc or lloom, tIc waxy laycr tIat
scals tIc porcs and Iclps kccp out lac
tcria. Uldcr cgg product ion looks do
not rccommcnd wasIing cggs at al l. In
tIc past, it was important to protcct tIc
cut iclc lccausc rcrigcrat ion was not
always possillc.
Prewetting
Vctting or ligItly spraying tIc cggs witI
warm watcr, alout 104 dcgrccs, prior to
wasIing will Iclp looscn dclris on tIc
sIcll (HutcIison ct al., 2008).
Washing
Lggs sIould lc wasIcd in watcr tIat is at
lcast 20 dcgrccs warmcr tIan tIc warm
cst cggs, and tIc watcr sIould lc at lcast
90 dcgrccs. TIis is to prcvcnt watcr tIat
is coolcr tIan tIc cgg rom orcing tIc
cgg contcnts to contract and pul l watcr
and microlcs tIrougI tIc sIcl l i nto
tIc cgg and causc contamination. How
cvcr, tIc wasI watcr sIould not lc morc
tIan 40 dcgrccs alovc tIc tcmpcraturc
o tIc cggs or tIc cggs may cxpcricncc
tIcrmal cracking.
Clcancrs can lc Iclpul in tIc wasIing
proccss. According to tIc Iood and Irug
Administration (IIA) tIc ingrcdicnts in
tIc matcrial uscd to clcan cggs must lc
Ccncrally Bccognizcd as Sac (CBAS). TIc
ingrcdicnts must also lc a sulstancc tIat is
rcgulatcd as a ood additivc (LSIA ISIS,
2008). Ingrcdicnts in compliancc witI IIA
guidclincs can lc ound in tIc Codc o
Icdcral Bcgulat ions. Ictcrgcnts Iclp
rcmovc dirt and kill microlcs during wct
clcaning. Ictcrgcnts gcncrally raisc watcr
pH to 11 and tIc alkalinc cnvironmcnt
Iclps kill microlcs, including salmonclla
(Zcidlcr, 2002). TIcrc arc many dctcrgcnts
or cgg soaps on tIc markct. Ior cxamplc,
Lgg VasI Powdcr is an alkalinc cIlorinatcd
oam controllcd powdcr availallc tIrougI
Incrcdillc Lgg VasIcr Co., Xasco and
otIcr supplicrs.
X
ote that
washing
eggs can
damage the cuticle
or bloom, the waxy
layer that seals the
pores and helps
keep out bacteria.
Page 4 !""#! Small-Scale Egg Handling
In ccrti"cd organic proccssing undcr tIc
Xat ional Urganic Program, 20.0
o tIc Xational List lists nonagricultural
(nonorganic) sulstanccs tIat may lc uscd
in proccsscd products lalclcd as organic
or madc witI organic ingrcdicnts. TIc list
includcs natural matcrials sucI as citric
and lactic acids and syntIctic matcrials
including cIlorinc, Iydrogcn pcroxidc,
ozonc potassium Iydroxidc, and pcracctic
acid. TIc Urganic Hatcrials Bcvicw Insti
tutc (UHBI) lists lrand namc products
tIat arc allowcd undcr tIis Xational List.
TIc namc lrand list includcs AICU 242
Lgg VasI Urg, wIosc main ingrcdicnt is
potassium Iydroxidc. Kccp in mind not
al l possillc options arc listcd lccausc
tIcrc is a cost or UHBI listing.
Bc conscious o wIcrc your wasI watcr
gocs, as ongoi ng and cxccssivc usc
o dctcrgcnt could lc Iarmul to your
scptic systcm. I you disposc o wasI watcr
on arm, a gcntlcr soap or otIcr matcrial
sIould lc uscd. IPSCarcIrcc Lnzymcs,
Inc. Ias an cgg wasI product callcd Lgg
VasIcr Pro tIat lrcaks down contaminants
witI a llcnd o cnzymcs tIat makc up tIc
wasI. Somc small produccrs usc a solution
o distillcd wIitc vincgar dilutcd in Ial
witI watcr to wipc tIcir cggs. \incgar can
aid in rcmoving stains rom tIc sIcll and is
known to Iavc antilactcrial propcrtics duc
to its acidity (Lntani ct al., 1998).
TIc LSIA rcquircs tIat wasI watcr lc
cIangcd cvcry our Iours in commcrcial
production. Bcplaccmcnt watcr is addcd
continuously.
Icoamcrs arc uscd witI cggwasIing
macIincs to Iclp rcducc oaming. Lxccs
sivc oaming causcs watcr to spill ovcr sidcs
o tank and tIis accts watcr tcmpcraturc
and pH.
Rinsing
Lggs arc rinscd to rcmovc adIcring dirt,
dctcrgcnts, and oam (Zcidlcr, 2002). Binsc
watcr sIould lc a cw dcgrccs IigIcr tIan
tIc wasI watcr to prcvcnt drawing tIc watcr
into tIc cgg.
Sanitizing
Atcr wasIing, cggs arc sanit i zcd to
rcducc microlial load.
CIlorinclascd sanitizcrs sIould lc rom
0 to 200 ppm (Zcidlcr, 2002). How
cvcr, using lcss tIan 100 ppm cIlorinc
may Iclp protcct tIc cuticlc (HutcIison ct
al., 2008). Unc tallcspoon o IouscIold
cIlorinc llcacI, usual ly .2 pcrccnt
sodium IypocIloritc, pcr gallon o watcr
will rcsult in a solution o 200 ppm cIlorinc
(HcClynn, 2009). Ircc cIlorinc lcvcl must
lc rcqucntly cIcckcd lccausc cIlorinc is
inactivatcd ly organic matcrial sucI as dirt.
CIlorinc tcst strips arc availallc in rcstau
rant supply storcs.
Urganic rcquircmcnts pcrmit a "nal rinsc
witI a cIlorinc lcvcl lcss tIan 4 ppm, tIc
limit undcr tIc Sac Irinking Vatcr Act.
Scc tIc UHBI product list or approvcd
sanitizcrs and cIcck witI tIc individual
company to cnsurc tIc product can lc
uscd on sIcll cggs.
Intcrcstingly, in a tcst comparing tIc
ccct ivcncss o sanit i zcrs i ncludi ng
cIlorinc, clcctrolyzcd watcr and pcracc
tic acid, nonc o tIc sanitizcrs wcrc morc
ccctivc tIan rinsing witI watcr (Husgrovc
ct al., 2008).
Drying
Lggs sIould lc dricd atcr wasIing and
lcorc packing and storing to prcvcnt
ungal and microlial growtI. Lggs can lc
dricd ly cvaporation, witI an assistancc
or ly wiping.
Candling
In somc statcs, smallscalc produccrs may
lc rcquircd to candlc cggs to cnsurc intcrior
quality o tIc cggs in tcrms o llood spots,
cracks and morc. Lvcn i you arc cxcmpt,
candling is still important to cnsurc your
customcrs do not rcccivc crtilc cggs witI
dcvcloping cmlryos, cggs witI llood spots
or crackcd cggs. I you gatIcr rcqucntly
and usc cold storagc, cmlryos will not Iavc
tIc cIancc to dcvclop in crtilc cggs.
B
e conscious
of where
your wash
water goes, an
ongoing and exces-
sive use of detergent
could be harmful to
your septic system.
Page 5 !""#! www.attra.ncat.org
Brown cggs arc morc di"cult to candlc
tIan wIitc cggs duc to tIc darkcr sIcll
wIicI can gcncral ly lcad to a IigIcr
pcrccntagc o llood and mcat spots.
Grading
Cradi ng i nvolvcs sort i ng cggs lascd
on quality, sizc and wcigIt standards.
Quality is lascd on sIcll quality, tIc air
ccll, tIc wIitc and tIc yolk. Ior cxam
plc, tIc IigIcst quality Cradc AA Ias
a clcan, unlrokcn, unstaincd sIcll; tIc
air ccll is 1/8 incI or lcss in dcptI; tIc
wIitc is clcar and "rm; and tIc outlinc
o tIc yolk is only sligItly dc"ncd and
rcc rom dcccts sucI as llood spots.
TIc LSIA Lgg Crading Hanual, avail
allc at vvv.ams.usda.gov/Poultry/dfs/
EggCrading%20manual.df, dcscrilcs
Iow grading is donc undcr tIc LSIA
(LSIA, 1990).
Crading also involvcs sorting cggs into
wcigIt classcs or sizcs including pccwcc,
small, mcdium, largc, cxtra largc and
jumlo. TIc LSIA Lgg Crading Hanual
cxplains tIc rcquircd individual cgg wcigIt
and Iow mucI a dozcn cggs nccd to wcigI
or cacI wcigIt class. Consumcrs noticc sizc
variation witIin a carton lut not as mucI
rom carton to carton. Host statcs do not
rcquirc smallscalc cgg produccrs to gradc
cggs and cartons usually must lc markcd
as ungradcd.
Methods for washing,
candling and grading
TIc capacity o wasIing mctIods is otcn
dcscrilcd in tcrms o cascs. A casc is
80 dozcn or 80 cggs and a Ial casc
is 1 dozcn.
Manual methods
Washing
HctIods tIat usc sprayi ng, pouri ng
or dipping rcducc tIc timc o contact
lctwccn watcr and cgg. As mcntioncd
carl icr, soaking cggs is gcncral ly not
rccommcndcd lccausc it may al low
microlcs to cntcr tIc sIcll.
I you Iavc just a cw cggs, usc a lrusI
and wasI tIcm in a sink witI Iot running
watcr and tIcn dip tIcm in a sanitizcr
(Biglcc and Ironing, 1997). TIc watcr
sIould lc warmcr tIan tIc cgg. Prcwct
t i ng and usi ng a dctcrgcnt wi l l Iclp.
BrusIcs tIat can lc sanitizcd arc Iclpul.
Ior cxamplc, surgical lrusIcs, wIicI arc
small nylon lrusIcs packcd witI micro
lristlcs, arc madc to clcan Iands and
undcr nails and arc uscul in cgg clcan
ing lccausc tIcy can casily lc sanitizcd
in tIc disIwasIcr or llcacI watcr.
Dip washing
To wasI scvcral dozcn cggs, makc up
scparatc lasins o dctcrgcnt, rinsc watcr
and sanitizcr solutions. VasI cacI cgg
scparatcly and do not soak. Iip tIc cgg
in rinsc watcr, and tIcn dip it in sani
tizcr. Lsing an cgg laskct or colandcr
to rinsc and sanitizc many cggs at oncc
will savc timc. Sct cggs asidc to dry. It
is important to rcmcmlcr to cIangc tIc
dctcrgcnt and rinsc watcr atcr cvcry 8 to
4 dozcn cggs. Lsc glovcs to protcct Iands
rom Iot watcr, dctcrgcnt and sanitizcr
(Biglcc and Ironing, 1997). Sinks witI
tIrcc lasins arc idcal or tIis mctIod and
can usual ly lc ound tIrougI lar and
rcstaurant cquipmcnt suppl icrs. Al so
avai lallc tIrougI simi lar sourccs arc
lrusIcs atop a suct ion lasc tIat wi l l
attacI to tIc lottom o tIc sink and can
lc uscd undcr wasI watcr, rccing up
a Iand i n tIc scrulli ng proccss. Bc
caut ious o di sposi ng wasI watcr on
tIc arm lccausc tIc dctcrgcnts and
sanitizcrs may lc IigIly caustic or cIlori
natcd and your scptic will sucr i cd tIc
mix (Iavis, 200).
Spray or pour washing
Bolcrt Plamondon, a smal lscalc pro
duccr in Urcgon, providcs tIc ollowing
rccommcndation:
Page 6 !""#! Small-Scale Egg Handling
VIi lc tIc cggs arc i n wi rc laskcts or
plastic cgg cratcs, sIowcr tIcm gcncrously
witI tIc usc o a watcring can witI 100
dcgrccs watcr tIat contains dctcrgcnt and
cnougI cIlorinc to lring tIc lcvcl to 100
200 ppm. Allow tIc wasI watcr to run away
rom tIc cggs ly sitting tIc laskct atop a
drain. Atcr standing a cw minutcs tIc cggs
may nccd to lc watcrcd again. TIcn wipc
tIc cggs individually witI a papcr towcl.
Bcplacc tIc papcr towcl otcn during tIc
proccss. A clotI towcl sIould not lc uscd
lccausc it may continuc to lc uscd long
atcr it Ias lccomc dirty. Clcan cggs sIould
tIcn lc placcd in a clcan wirc laskct or
plastic !at. Clcan cggs arc tIcn sanitizcd ly
gcncrously sIowcring tIcm witI 100 dcgrcc
watcr tIat is 100200 ppm cIlorinc. You
can dry tIc cggs manually or lct tIcm air
dry. Irying racks can lc madc witI Ial
incI Iardwarc clotI on a woodcn ramc. TIc
cggs will also dry i put into tIc rcrigcrator
wIilc still in tIc laskct or cratcs. Vct cggs
sIould not lc placcd in cartons lccausc
tIcy will stick (Plamondon,2001).
Candling
Ior Iand candl i ng, t Icrc arc many
dicrcnt sctups.
According to Colorado Statc Lxtcnsion,
a suitallc ligIt can lc Iandmadc ly
cutting a 1.2incI diamctcr Iolc in
tIc cnd o a cocc can. Inscrt a ligIt lull
"xturc tIrougI tIc lid, using a 40watt lull.
\icw tIc intcrior o tIc cgg ly Iolding tIc
largc cnd up to tIc Iolc cut in tIc lottom
o tIc can. As tIc ligIt passcs
tIrougI tIc cgg, twirl tIc cgg
scvcral timcs. I llood spots arc
prcscnt, you will scc tIcm
(Ccigcr, 199). AnotIcr low
tccI way to candlc is ly taping
a 8incI lcngtI o cmpty latI
tissuc papcr tulc to a lasI
ligIt. Supplicrs sucI as Xasco,
KuIl and BocIcstcr HatcIcry
ocr Iand candlcrs.
Grading
Ior smallscalc grading, gravity
opcratcd scalcs can lc ound or
lcss tIan $70. TIcy arc availallc
tIrougI KuIl, Xasco, BocIcstcr
HatcIcry and otIcr supplicrs.
TIc small cgg scalcs tIat most catalogucs
scll arc not vcry accuratc and arc not or
lcgal tradc. I you do a lot o wIolcsaling,
you nccd to gct a commcrcial scalc tIat
will lc inspcctcd rcgularly or accuracy. A
dict or kitcIcn scalc is usually cnougI or
pcoplc wIo scll small numlcrs dircctly to
tIc consumcr.
Mechanical egg washing and
grading
HacIincry may lc nccdcd i tIc amount
o cggs lcing proccsscd is too mucI to
do ly Iand. AltIougI immcrsion wasI
ing is not rccommcndcd, tIcrc arc somc
macIincs on tIc markct. CIcck witI
your statc cgg laws to scc i immcrsion
wasIing is al lowcd. Urcgon cgg pro
duccr Bolcrt Plamondon rccommcnds
only clcaning 8 dozcn cggs pcr gallon o
watcr in tIc macIinc lcorc rcplacing
tIc watcr and using tIc propcr amount
o cIlorinc or sanitizcr. Prcwctting is
also Iclpul.
Immersion washers
TIc Incrcdillc Lgg VasIcr is a plastic luckct
tIat Iandlcs 8 dozcn cggs at a timc. It
includcs a 10incI cgg laskct and is small
cnougI to usc in a kitcIcn. An air com
prcssor lulllcs watcr around tIc cggs. It
costs alout $100 lut tIc air comprcssor is
sold scparatcly and costs alout $140. It is
Candlers help ensure the interior quality
of eggs. Photo courtesy Maine Organic
Farmers and Gardeners.
The Jiy Egg Scale is an inexpensive gravity-operated
egg scale. Photo courtesy of Meyer Hatchery.
Page 7 !""#! www.attra.ncat.org
ocrcd ly TIc Incrcdillc Lgg VasIcr Co.,
Xasco, and otIcr supplicrs.
Produccr Hikc Cculcrt dcscrilcd Iow to
makc a similar systcm on tIc arm. TIis
can savc on costs, cspccially i onc alrcady
owns an air comprcssor. TIc lulllcr sys
tcm can lc madc witI P\C piping witI
Iolcs drillcd tIrougIout tIc lasc and an air
couplcr to conncct to tIc comprcssor. TIc
rcgulator on tIc comprcssor can lc uscd to
adjust tIc prcssurc to 10 to pounds pcr
squarc incI. TIc systcm is madc to "t in
a gallon luckct, wIicI also Iolds an 8
dozcnsizc cgg laskct. Lggs arc givcn a
7 minutc lullling warm watcr, alout 100
dcgrccs, latI lcorc a rinsc in warm watcr.
Lggs tIat arc still dirty may nccd a quick
wipc and anotIcr rinsc lcorc lcing sct to
dry (Cuclcrt, 2007).
TIc Klccn Lgg Turlo AirVasI, avai l
all c t IrougI BocIcstcr Hat cIcr y,
is a 7gal lon galvanizcd luckct witI a
Icating clcmcnt and cgg laskct. It wasIcs
rom 10 to 1 dozcn cggs in 8 to min
utcs and Ias an adjustallc tIcrmostat
to maintain watcr tcmpcraturc. It costs
alout $400 lut also rcqui rcs an ai r
comprcssor to llow air lulllcs tIrougI
t Ic watcr. Accordi ng to produccr
Bolcrt Plamondon, witI a suitally small
comprcssor, tIis would work "nc in tIc
kitcIcn(Plamondon, 2000). TIc Icat
ing clcmcnt is a 11volt, 1,00watt
clcmcnt. You can "ll it witI Iot watcr rom
tIc kitcIcn sink and it is small cnougI
to pick up and dump uscd watcr. In act,
or kitcIcn usc Plamondon docs not rcc
ommcnd plugging in tIc Icating clcmcnt
lccausc ly tIc timc tIc watcr`s cold, it`s
prolally also dirty(Plamondon, 2000).
In tIis casc it would prolally only lc ncccs
sary in a situation wIcrc onc did
not Iavc acccss to Iot watcr.
KuIl Corp. ocrs a largc "lcr
glass immcrsion cgg wasIcr
tIat clcans rom onc to cigIt
cascs, or 80 to 2,880 cggs,
in an Iour and opcratcs witI
an cgg cratc or cgg laskct. It
is largc cnougI tIat it cannot
lc litcd to dump watcr out and
rcquircs a !oor drain. TIcsc
KI Hodcls arc ocrcd or 110
volt or 220volt clcctricity and
lotI cost morc tIan $1,200.
Dishwasher
IisIwasIcrs arc uscd cxpcrimcntally or
wasIing cggs ly somc small cgg produc
crs. IisIwasIcrs arc uscd witI a dctcrgcnt
suitallc or cgg wasIing and not disIwasIcr
The Incredible Egg Washer uses air bubbles and water
to clean shell eggs. Photo courtesy of The Incredible
Egg Washer Co.
This is a homemade unit to clean eggs with water and
bubbles. The unit is made with three-quarter-inch
PVC pipe and drilled with a 3/32-inch bit. Photo by
Mike Geubert.
The KF Model is a low capacity
immersion egg washer. Photo courtesy
of Kuhl Corporation.
Page 8 !""#! Small-Scale Egg Handling
soap lccausc it is too IarsI. IisIwasIcrs
may lc allc to clcan cggs witI tIc sIccr
orcc o tIc watcr. Unly tIc top rack sIould
lc uscd, as tIc lottom rack is too closc to
tIc jcts and will causc tIc cggs to louncc
around and lrcak. TIc main tIings tIat
sIould lc considcrcd arc acIicving propcr
watcr tcmpcraturc and drainagc.
IisIwasIcrs usually Icat tIc watcr Iot
cnougI to potcntially cook tIc cggs. TIis
could lc rcsolvcd ly sctting tIc watcr
Icatcr to rom 110 to 120 dcgrccs and
turning o tIc disIwasIcr`s Icat dry
or tcmpcraturc scnsor caturc so tIat it
docsn`t Icat tIc watcr and tIc cggs morc
tIan wIat is ncccssary.
Irainagc issucs rcsult rom tIc soil and
catIcrs tIat arc wasIcd o tIc cggs
luilding up in pipcs and cvcntually crc
ating clogs. TIc "ltcr on tIc disIwasIcr
is usually largc cnougI to lct dclris pass.
Lvcn tIougI clogs may not lc a prollcm
in tIc lcginning, somc produccrs dis
covcr a cloggcd linc atcr scvcral montIs,
cspccially i tIcrc is a largc pcrccntagc
o vcry dirty cggs. A scparatc watcr out
lct pipc or an cggwasIing disIwasIcr
may lc appropriatc.
CIlorinc can lc addcd to tIc watcr dur
ing tIc rinsc cyclc to sanitizc tIc cggs,
lut it may lc timcconsuming to wait or
tIc cIangc in cyclcs. I tIc cggs arc not
cxtrcmcly dirty just using tIc rinsc cyclc
may lc su"cicnt.
Brush and spray washers
BrusIing and spraying is an idcal way to
clcan cggs. Howcvcr, tIcrc arc only a cw
small lrusI and spray wasIing macIincs
currcntly on tIc markct and most cgg
wasIing cquipmcnt is vcry largc and
runs Iundrcds o cascs cacI Iour or
largcscalc production. Largcscalc cgg
wasIcrs usc watcr sprays and lrusIcs to
clcan cggs and can proccss 00 cascs an
Iour. BrusIcs arc usually oricntcd pcr
pcndicular to cgg low. TIc spinning o
cggs around tIcir vcrtical axis acilitatcs
clcaning. VasI watcr is rccirculatcd in
largc macIincs and ncw rcplaccmcnt
watcr is addcd to maintain a continuous
ovcr!ow.
KuIl Corp. ocrs tIc LBLV 1, wIicI
proccsscs rom onc to ivc cascs an Iour,
or rom 80 to 1,800 cggs. A rccyclcd
spray is uscd to clcan cggs. Lggs arc
rotatcd on rullcr rollcrs during clcan
ing and tIcn pass tIrougI a sanitizing
spray. A gradcr or arm packcr can lc
attacIcd.
The EBEW 1-5 cleans eggs through a pressure spray
wash and sanitizer spray. Photo courtesy of Kuhl
Corporation.
TIc Xat i ona l Poul t r y Lqui pmcnt
Company ocrs tIc SaniToucI l inc o
macIincs, wIicI comc in modcls , 10
and 20, rccrring to tIc numlcr o cascs
tIat can lc proccsscd in an Iour. TIcsc
macIincs arc wasIcr and sanitizcr units
witI dricrs tIat Iavc optional candling
and grading attacImcnts. TIc macIincs
rcqui rc watcr and drai n Iookups lut
comc witI tIcir own watcr Icatcr. TIc
SaniToucI modcls do not rccyclc tIc
watcr. TIc Hodcl 10 is morc tIan 18 cct
long and 2 cct widc, and tIc Hodcl is
morc tIan 10 cct long witIout candlcr
or gradcr additions.
An additional attacImcnt is a spoolspinncr
candlcr tIat rolls tIc cggs around or vicw
ing and cvcn Ias a mirror on tIc lack so
you can scc lotI cnds o tIc cggs. It can
lc comlincd witI a vacuumopcratcd cgg
Page 9 !""#! www.attra.ncat.org
litcr to load six cggs at a timc on tIc can
dlcr scction. TIc gradcr lolts onto tIc ar
cnd o tIc unit and scparatcs tIc cggs into
six gradcs, pccwcc tIrougI jumlo.
In tIc past SaniToucI units wcrc sold
undcr tIc AquaHagic namc and Iavc
lccn madc or dccadcs. It may lc pos
sillc to ind uscd cquipmcnt and parts
arc still availallc tIat work witI tIc old
macIincs.
Produccr Bolcrt Plamondon dcscrilcs Iis
uscd Aquamagic:
TIc AquaHagic candlcs, wasIcs (witI a
watcr spray and lrusIcs), drics (witI ans
and morc lrusIcs). TIc wasIcr scct ion
works HLCH lcttcr tIan immcrsion wasI
crs, and tIc dricr scction mcans you don`t
Iavc to lcavc cggs sitting around to dry.
TIc wasIcr comcs witI a littlc pump tIat
pumps dctcrgcnt/sanitizcr solution out o a
luckct and mixcs it witI tIc warm wasI
watcr. It comcs witI a cIutc loadcr, wIicI
is a ramp tIat you "l l up witI a row o
cggs. TIcy roll slowly down tIc ramp as
tIc wasIcr picks tIc cggs up onc at a timc.
TIc wasIcd/sanitizcd/dricd cggs comc out
tIc ar cnd onto a tallc, wIcrc you pick
tIcm up and put tIcm into !ats or cartons.
Ior a littlc cxtra, you can Iavc a candling
ligIt addcd onto tIc cIutc loadcr, wIcrc a
lrigIt ligIt sIincs up tIrougI a slot in tIc
cIutc, allowing you to candlc tIc cggs as
tIcy pass ly.(Plamondon, 2000)
TIc smallcr Hodcl sanitizcr unit witI
candlcr costs rom $10,00 to $11,000
(or sligItly lcss witIout tIc candlcr) and
$2,00 witI tIc candlcr and gradcr. Two
pcoplc can run it at 7 pcrccnt o its top
spccd. TIc largcr Hodcl 10 S costs alout
$14,000 witI a candlcr (sl igIt ly lcss
witIout tIc candlcr) and $29,000 witI
tIc spoolspinncr candlcr and gradcr. It
rcquircs our pcoplc - a loadcr, candlcr
and two packcrs - to run it at top spccd.
TIc watcr Icatcr tIat comcs witI tIc
SaniToucI modcls is vcry intricatc. It
may lc possillc to conncct it up to an
cxist ing sourcc o Iot watcr or somc
savings. TIc macIincs arc sturdy and
can proccss ovcr 2,000 dozcn cggs a day
(Plamondon, 2008).
Candlers and graders
Xational Poultry Lquipmcnt sclls a rcc
standing gradcr, tIc SaniToucI Hodcl CC.
TIc Lgomatic was a candlcr and gradcr tIat
was sold in tIc past in tIc Lnitcd Statcs and
is somctimcs sold as uscd cquipmcnt.
Oiling
Lggs can lc oi lcd witI a oodgradc
mincral oil atcr wasIing to Iclp rcducc
moisturc or CU2 loss, maintain tIc intcr
nal quality o tIc cgg and prcvcnt tIc
introduction o microlcs. In tIc Lnitcd
Statcs cggs arc gcncral ly di st ri lutcd
quickly and oiling is not ncccssary. Uiling
is morc important in warmcr arcas wIcrc
tIcrc is a risk o inadcquatc rcrigcration
(HutcIison ct al., 2008).
Storage and distribution
Atcr proccssing, cggs sIould lc storcd
at 4 dcgrccs to prcvcnt microli al
growtI. Humidity sIould lc kcpt at 70
to 8 pcrccnt. Clcan cggs storcd at tIcsc
condit ions wi l l kccp or tIrcc montIs
(Iamcrow, 199). In a standard rcrigcr
ator, wIcrc tIc Iumidity is lowcr, wasIcd
cggs only kccp or ivc wccks.
In largcscalc commcrcial production,
cggs usually rcacI tIc packing plant only
a cw days atcr Icns lay tIcm (LSIA
ISIS, 2007). Lggs packcd undcr cdcral
rcgulations rcquirc tIc pack datc to lc
displaycd on tIc carton. It is a tIrccdigit
|ulian datc tIat rcprcscnts tIc consccutivc
day o tIc ycar. TIc carton is also datcd
witI tIc scllly or cxpiration datc (Lxp.),
dcpcnding on tIc statc. Lggs witI a cd
cral gradc must lc sold witIin 80 days
rom day o pack (LSIAI ISIS, 2007a).
TIc LSIA rccommcnds tIat consumcrs
luy cggs lcorc tIc cxpiration datc and
usc tIcm witIin 8 to wccks. In |unc
200, a LSIA Agricultural Harkcting
Scrvicc (LSIA AHS) rulc proIilitcd tIc
rcpackaging o cggs prcviously sIippcd
or rctail salc tIat wcrc packcd undcr its
grading program.
Page 10 !""#! Small-Scale Egg Handling
Smal l spccialty produccrs sIould scl l
tIcir cggs witIin scvcn days o lay so
tIat tIc cggs arc as rcsI or rcsIcr tIan
convcntional cggs.
Site facility
TIc Iandling arca sIould gcncrally lc
clcan and rcc o insccts, vcrmin and
otIcr possillc contaminants. Somc statcs
may rcquirc scrccncd windows; rodcnt
proo doors; wasIallc wal ls and !oors
witI al l joints caulkcd; potallc watcr;
sanitary drainagc; and no pcts in tIc
luilding (Plamondon, 2000).
Urcgon cgg produccr Bolcrt Plamondon
dcscrilcs Iis cgg wasIing arca:
Uur cggwasIing is donc in our garagc
(wIicI wc don`t usc or vcIiclcs). |ust
alout any garagc t Iat al rcady Ias a
concrctc !oor, watcr, a drain going to tIc
scpt ic systcm, and adcquatc clcct rical
powcr could lc convcrtcd prctty cIcaply.
Basically, tIc oodsacty inspcctors want to
scc an installation tIat appcars to lc luilt
to codc and is appropriatc or propcr ood
Iandl ing, wIicI most ly rcvolvcs around
kccpi ng lugs and rodcnt s out, lci ng
casy to clcan, Iaving cnougI sinks, and
Iavi ng potallc watcr so you`rc taki ng
lactcria away wIcn you wasI, not adding
tIcm (Plamondon, 2000).
Egg products
Smallscalc produccrs usually scll only
sIcll cggs, not proccsscd cggs. Howcvcr,
in tIc Lnitcd Statcs alout 80 pcrccnt o
cggs arc consumcd in tIc orm o cgg
products sucI as lrokcn wIolc cggs, yolks
and wIitcs. Atcr lrcaking, cgg prod
ucts arc sold as liquid, dricd and rozcn
products. Yolks arc saltcd or sugarcd i
rozcn to prcvcnt orming a rullcry gcl
upon tIawing. In largcscalc proccssing,
cgg products arc pastcurizcd atcr lrcak
ing to ki l l microlcs. TIc LSIA Iood
Sacty and Inspcct ion Scrvicc (LSIA
ISIS) inspccts tIcsc opcrations. Lgg prod
ucts arc uscd in ood manuacturing. Ior
morc inormation, scc tIc LSIA ISIS Lgg
Products and Iood Sacty Iact SIccts,
availallc at vvv.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Egg_
Products_and_Food_8afety.df.
Government regulations
and grading
A produccr witI a lock o cwcr tIan
8,000 Icns is cxcmpt rom complying
witI tIc Lgg Products Inspcction Act.
TIc Lgg Products Inspcction Act was
passcd in 1970 to insurc cgg products arc
sac or Iuman consumption. In 1972,
quartcrly onsitc inspcctions o all sIcll
cgg proccssors lccamc rcquircd. TIis
SIcll Lgg Survcillancc program cnsurcs
tIat sIcll cggs arc as good or lcttcr tIan
gradc B. Ior morc inormation, scc 7
CIB, Part 7 o tIc Bcgulations Covcrn
ing tIc Inspcction o Lggs at vvv.ams.
usda.gov/AV8v1.0/get!le?dDocName=8T
ELDE18004691.
TIc LSIA AHS Ias a voluntary cgg grad
ing scrvicc or sIcll cggs tIat is paid or
ly plants. TIc Bcgulations Covcrning
tIc Inspcction o Lggs 7 CIB, Part
dcscrilcs Iow cggs sIould lc proccsscd
undcr tIc voluntary grading program.
Scc vvv.ams.usda.gov/AV8v1.0/get!le?
dDocName=8TELDE18004690 or morc
inormation. Lndcr tIis scrvicc, LSIA
gradcrs continuously monitor tIc grad
ing and packing o cggs to cnsurc tIat
tIc cggs mcct quality and sizc standards.
In addit ion, plant proccssi ng cquip
mcnt, acilitics, sanitation and opcrating
proccdurcs arc vcri icd accordi ng to
rcgulat ion rcqui rcmcnts. By mcct i ng
tIcsc rcquircmcnts, cggs packcd at o"
cial plants arc cligillc to carry tIc LSIA
gradc sIicld. TIc Lgg Crading Hanual
is an cxccllcnt rcsourcc and is availallc
onl i nc at vvv.ams.usda.gov/AV8v1.0/
get!le?dDocName=8TELDE18004o02.
VitI morc cmpIasis on Hazard Analysis
and Critical Control Points (HACCP) and
IigI qual ity, tIc Plant Sanitation and
Cood Hanuacturing Practiccs Program
(PSCHP) is also availallc undcr volun
tary grading.
Alt IougI smal lscalc cgg produccrs
do not Iavc to comply witI cdcral pro
grams, tIcy nccd to ollow statc cgg laws.
AltIougI statcs Iavc cxcmptions or small
produccrs, somc statcs arc quitc rigorous
I
n the United
States about 30
percent of eggs
are consumed in the
form of egg prod-
ucts such as broken
whole eggs, yolks
and whites.
Page 11 !""#! www.attra.ncat.org
in tcrms o wasIing, candling and tcm
pcraturc rcqui rcmcnts during storagc
and salc. Hany cggs arc sold ungradcd at
armcrs` markcts.
Organic egg handling
In ordcr to lc ccrti"cd organic, tIc cggs
must lc Iandlcd or proccsscd undcr
rcquircmcnts o tIc Xational Urganic
Program (XUP) and tIc proccssing acil
ity must lc ccrtiicd organic. Urganic
Iandling rcquircmcnts arc covcrcd in
CIB 20.270 to 20.272 o tIc XUP.
In gcncral, organic proccssing rcquircs:
TIc usc o organic ingrcdicnts
or i ngrcdicnt s al lowcd ly tIc
Xational List.
Hanagcmcnt tIat prcvcnts contami
nation witI proIilitcd sulstanccs.

Iaci l it y pcst managcmcnt tIat

prcvcnts contamination.
Hanagcmcnt tIat prcvcnts com
mingling witI nonorganic products.
(Kucppcr ct al., 2009)
Propcr rccordkccping and audit
control proccdurcs tIat cnsurc
traccali lity o tIc product and
propcr usc o tIc organic scal.
Conclusion
Propcr Iandl i ng i s a crit ical part o
any cgg lusi ncss dcspitc tIc si zc o
tIc opcration. Propcr Iandling cnsurcs
qual i t y and sact y or consumcrs
and compl iancc witI statc and cdcral
rcgulat ions. TIc i normat ion givcn i n
tIis pullication providcs viallc options
or small and mcdium sizcd cgg produc
crs in cxccuting propcr Iandling witIin
tIcir own production systcm.

References
Biglcc, I. L. and C. V. Ironing. 1997. Lgg Clcaning
Proccdurc or tIc HouscIold Ilock. XclCuidc. C79
4A. Lnivcrsity o Xclraska Coopcrativc Lxtcnsion,
Lincoln, X!.
Iamcrow, Cail. 199. A Cuidc to Baising CIickcns.
Storcy Communications, Inc., Pownal, \T. 841 p.
Iavis, |im. 200. Bc: Kcnmorc Lgg VasIcr Tcst.
Lmail posting to PasturcPoultry listscrvc, Scpt.
18, 200.
Lntani L., H. Asai, S. TsujiIata, Y. Tsukamoto and
H. UIta. 1998. Antilactcrial action o vincgar against
oodlornc patIogcnic lactcria including Escherichia
coli O1o7:H7. |ournal o Iood Protcction. \ol. 1 (8)
9899.
Ccigcr, C., V. Busscll and H. Lnos. 199.
Hanagcmcnt: TIc Iamily Lgg Supply. Xo. 2.10.
Colorado Statc Lxtcnsion. 8 p.
Cuclcrt, H. 2007. Bc: Lgg wasIing macIinc.
Unlinc Posting, 9 HarcI 2007. YaIoo Pasturc Poultry
Listscrvcr. htt://tech.grous.yahoo.com/grou/
PasturePoultry/message/86188
HutcIison, H. L., |. Cittins, A. Valkcr, A. Hoorc, C.
Burton and X. Sparks. 2008. VasIing tallc cggs: A
rcvicw o scicnti"c and cnginccring issucs. Vorld`s
Poultry Scicncc Association. 9:288248.
Kucppcr, Ccorgc, Holly Born, and Annc Ianatico.
2009. Iarm Hadc: A Cuidc to UnIarm Proccssing
or Urganic Produccrs. TIc Kcrr Ccntcr or Sustain
allc Agriculturc, Potcau, UklaIoma. 44 p.
HcClynn, Villiam. Cuidclincs or tIc Lsc o CIlorinc
BlcacI as a Sanitizcr in Iood Proccssing Upcrations.
Iood TccInology Iact SIcct. UklaIoma Statc Lnivcrsity.
htt://osuextra.olstate.edu/dfs/FAPC116veo.df
Husgrovc, H., S. Traluc, |. SIaw, I. |oncs. 2008.
L"cacy o PostVasIing SIcll Lgg Sanitizcrs. Poultry
Scicncc Association Hccting Alstract. P.42
ParkIurst, Carmcn and Ccorg Hountncy. 1988.
Poultry Hcat and Lgg Production. \an Xostrand
BcinIold Co., Xcw York.
Page 12 !""#! Small-Scale Egg Handling
Plamondon, Bolcrt. 2000. Lgg wasIcrs, candling,
&c. Unlinc Posting, 28 Icc. 2000. YaIooo Pasturc
Poultry Listscrvcr. htt://tech.grous.yahoo.com/grou/
PasturePoultry/message/o820
Plamondon, Bolcrt. 2001. Bc: VasIing Lggs.
Unlinc Posting, 28 Hay 2001. YaIoo Pasturc
Poultry Listscrvcr. htt://tech.grous.yahoo.com/
grou/PasturePoultry/message/7786
Plamondon, Bolcrt. 2008. Bc: Immcrsion Lgg
VasIcrs (Also, LSIA Lgg Bcgulations). Unlinc
Posting, 7 Icl. 2008. YaIoo Pasturc Poultry
Listscrvcr. htt://tech.grous.yahoo.com/grou/
PasturePoultry/message/18989
LSIA. 1990. LggCrading Hanual. Agriculturc
Handlook Xo. 7. LSIA Agricultural Harkcting
Scrvicc, VasIington, IC. 8 p.
LSIA ISIS. 2007. Inspcction o Lggs and Lgg
Products. Codc o Icdcral Bcgulations. 9 CIB
90.1.
LSIA ISIS. 2007a. SIcll Lggs rom Iarm to Tallc
Iact SIcct. Acccsscd |unc 2009. vvv.fsis.usda.gov/
Fact_8heets/Focus_On_8hell_Eggs/index.as
LSIAI ISIS. 2007l. Iood Product Iating Iact
SIcct. Acccsscd |unc 2009. vvv.fsis.usda.gov/
Fact_8heets/Food_Product_Dating/index.as
LSIA ISIS. 2008. Cuidancc or SIcll Lgg Clcancrs
and Sanitizcrs. Acccsscd |unc 2009. vvv.fsis.usda.
gov/Regulations_&_Policies/8hell_Egg_Cleaners_&_
8anitirers_Cuidance/index.as
Zcidlcr, C. 2002. Proccssing and Packaging SIcll
Lggs. p. 11071129. In: I.I. Bcll and V.I. Vcavcr
(cds.). Commcrcial CIickcn Hcat and Lgg Production
tI cd. Springcr PullisIcrs, Xcw York, XY.
Further resources
Approved Substances
Codc o Icdcral Bcgulations. 2009. Titlc 21, CIaptcr
1, Parts 17218. Acccsscd |unc 2009. vvv.access.
go.gov/cgioin/cfrassemole.cgi?title=200921
Lists suostances vhich comly vith maor FDA guide
lines for shell egg cleaners and sanitirers, those vhich
are aroved as Cenerally Recognired as 8afe (CRA8)
for use in food, and regulated as food additives. List is
udated annually.
Urganic Hatcrials Bcvicw Institutc (UHBI)
Box 118
Lugcnc, UB 97440
41848700
418488971 IAX
info_omri.org
vvv.omri.org
1oluntary reviev and listing service for roducts used
in organic roduction and rocessing as
certi!ed under the U8DA National Organic
Program. Aroved roducts are listed annually in
the directory, OVRI Products List. Hard coy of the
OVRI Product List is availaole through aid suo
scrition, and the online version can oe vieved at no
cost.
Equipment Suppliers
IPSCarcIrcc Lnzymcs, Inc.
PU Box 190
Kansasvillc, VI 8189
22878099
228780997 IAX
carefree_execc.com
vvv.carefreeenrymes.com
Offers enrymatic roducts for a variety of areas
including oultry. Their natural oultry roduct line
includes Poultry Protector, Vaterer Protector, Odor
Digester, and egg vashing roducts Egg Vasher Pro
and Foam Blocler. A list of retailers carrying IP8
CareFree Enrymes, Inc. roducts can oe found on
their Veo site or oy contacting them through email
or oy hone.
Incrcdillc Lgg VasIcr Co.
P.U. Box 802
HancIaug, HA 0120802
08470084
88882840 (tollrcc)
8774447 IAX
vvv.theincredioleeggvasher.com
Offers the Incrediole Egg Vasher, relacement arts,
and Egg Vash Povder. The vasher safely uses air to
gently clean the eggs.
KuIl Corporation
P.U. Box 2
Ilcmington, X| 08822002
9087829
908782271 IAX
vvv.luhlcor.com
Offers egg vashing equiment and a variety of
oultry roduction equiment. Egg vasher otions
include lov caacity immersion vashers KF200,
KF400 (max. caacity: 8 cases/hr) and sray/
Page 13 !""#! www.attra.ncat.org
sanitirer vasher EBEV 1o (max. caacity: o cases/
hr). Detergents, sanitirers, reserving oils, and nest
ooxes are also availaole. Offer roduct catalogs
uon request.
Lcc \allcy Tools, Ltd.
P.U. Box 1780
Ugdcnslurg, XY 189780
80027878 (tollrcc)
80018788 IAX
customerservice_leevalley.com
vvv.leevalley.com
Offers a variety of voodvorling and gardening
tools. They offer the Vorld`s Kindest Nail Brush
vhich some small egg roducers !nd helful in their
manual egg vashing system.
XASCU
P.U. Box 901
Iort Atkinson, VI 8880901
800 899 (tollrcc)
9208829 IAX
custserv_enasco.com
vvv.enasco.com
Large sulier of farm and ranch equiment vith a
large line of oultry equiment. Egg sulies include
nest ooxes, oaslets, cartons, "ats, cases, candlers,
scale, vasher, vash ovder, orushes. Product
catalogs are availaole uon request.
Xational Poultry Lquipmcnt Co.
8290 Lanccr Avc.
Usagc, Iowa 041
41782140
417821470 IAX
info_nationaloultryequiment.com
vvv.nationaloultryequiment.com
Vanufacturer of egg rocessing equiment for small
to medium sired egg roducers. Veo site shovs their
8aniTouch vashers, has a forum for those vho may
oe looling to ouy or sell used equiment, features
videos aoout hov to use the equiment and more.
BocIcstcr HatcIcry
9420 109 Strcct
Vcstlock, Allcrta T7P 2B4, Canada
780807822
sales_rochesterhatchery.com
vvv.rochesterhatchery.com
Offers many varieties of oultry chicls and
oultry equiment. Egg sulies include nest ooxes,
detergent, orushes, candlers, scales, cartons, ooxes.
Catalogs can oe requested through email or can oe
dovnloaded from their Veo site.
Page 14 !""#! Small-Scale Egg Handling
Notes
Page 15 !""#! www.attra.ncat.org
Notes
Page 16 !""#!
Small-Scale Egg Handling
By Anne Fanatico, Ph.D., and Betsy Conner
NCAT Poultry Specialists
2009 NCAT
Holly Michels, Editor
Amy Smith, Production
This publication is available on the Web at:
www.attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/egghandling.html
or
www.attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/egghandling.pdf
IP348
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Version 092109