Washing eggs for sale

diamond_lil · « **on:** May 02, 2007, 23:12 »

Hello, I'm new but you all sound so nice, I thought I'd start with a question.

I wonder if any one out there can help. We have ducks and hens and have started selling spare eggs at the farm gate. The hen eggs aren't too bad but the ducks eggs are always grubby. I have been washing them in washing up liquid before putting them in a box as I understood that that would be enough to kill avian flu germs. I have since been told that I should wash them in water in which an effervescent chlorine tablet has been dissolved. Evidently if you do this but don't dry them the solution evaporates to salt and kills just about anything. My concern is that the egg shell will absorb some of the chlorine solution. Any ideas?

GrannieAnnie · « **Reply #1 on:** May 02, 2007, 23:24 »

Well, I'm not an expert, but I only wash my eggs in plain water. The shells have something covering them which protects the egg inside from bacteria and I had read that washing in soap or discinfectant like they do commercially can take this stuff off.

Also as egg shells are porous, I'm always worred that washing in anything else could contaminate the egg more than leaving it alone, but probably someone will have other ideas. This is just my honest opinion.

diamond_lil · « **Reply #2 on:** May 02, 2007, 23:29 »

That was my worry. Now we are selling to the general public, I worry about salmonella and other things, but I don't want to give them chlorine poisoning!

mercury · « **Reply #3 on:** May 02, 2007, 23:31 »

try just scrubbing them with wire wool, duck eggs are more porous than hen eggs

diamond_lil · « **Reply #4 on:** May 04, 2007, 16:42 »

I have scoured the net for washing advice and found nothing to say I ought to use a chlorine solution. Maybe it only applies to battery farmed birds. I think I will start using water and a scourer.

Thank you all for the advice. Any more comments gratefully received.

deneview · « **Reply #5 on:** May 11, 2007, 14:19 »

i didn't think that you could wash eggs for sale to public? only class A eggs- clean and unwashed?

diamond_lil · « **Reply #6 on:** May 11, 2007, 15:10 »

Quote

i didn't think that you could wash eggs for sale to public? only class A eggs- clean and unwashed?

How can duck eggs be clean and unwashed :? You haven't seen the mess my ducks leave on their eggs! No one would buy them!

Their coop is lined with straw but after their supper, no matter how clean the straw, it is awash with water. Bits of straw all over the eggs, plus 'other substances'. Ducks are certainly not house proud. The hens are pristine in comparison.

Do you think 'unwashed' has a special DEFRA meaning? (As in - the Great ...) Seriously, maybe 'unwashed' means don't wash them in chemicals which is where I came in!

Thanks for help anyway.

DL

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #7 on:** May 11, 2007, 15:16 »

All you need to know about egg sales:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/regulat/forms/livestock_prods/eggs/emr1.pdf

I don't thing selling a few at "the garden gate" is classed as "selling eggs".

deneview · « **Reply #8 on:** May 11, 2007, 17:03 »

yes you are right aunt sally,
defra conditions are for 'producers or sellers',
you can sell 'at farm gate' ie with sign on your house, but not to resellers- ie shops or restaurants/cafe , or door- to door,unless defra rules followed. washed eggs are not permitted under defra, - only class B which go to factories etc,

diamond_lil · « **Reply #9 on:** May 12, 2007, 10:46 »

Quote from: "deneview"

washed eggs are not permitted under defra, - only class B which go to factories etc,

Sorry, deneview, I know I am being thick but what do they mean by 'washed'?
:? :? :?
You are all confirming my feelings that using chlorine tablets is not the way to go, but I still have to get the eggs clean somehow. Is just water enough to get the germs off?

Don't want to make a meal of this but I am a still bit confused.

Thanks for putting up with the questions. DL

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #10 on:** May 12, 2007, 12:45 »

Have a read of this article lil. I fint the Pekinbantams site very useful :!:

Cleaning Eggs

diamond_lil · « **Reply #11 on:** May 12, 2007, 15:09 »

Aunt Sally, you are a star!!
That is exactly what I needed to know.
Thank you so much.

DL X

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