Egg marketing in national supermarkets: Egg quality - Part 1

Two surveys were conducted to determine the quality of eggs offered to cons umers in large supermarkets in various regions of the US. The first survey was conducted in California (CA) in 1994 and included 38 samples of large ( L) and extra large (XL) white eggs in 15 markets. Individual eggs were weig hed, candled, and broken out for Haugh unit (HU) determination. Regional di fferences in age of eggs, the number of eggs below 55 HU, and the percentag e of cracked eggs were observed. The second survey was conducted in Califor nia (CA), Illinois (IL), Pennsylvania (PA), Texas (TX), North Carolina (NC) , and New England (NE). This study included brown and white eggs and sample s from 115 stores in 38 cities. Significant age, egg weight, HU, and cracke d egg differences were observed between states. Brown and white eggs were d ifferent relative to age and HU, but egg weights and cracked eggs were stat istically the same. The two surveys, 1994 and 1996, within CA demonstrated very similar measurements when L-white eggs were compared.