ABSTRACT
Several measurements of egg quality are used by poultry products technologists and breeders. Most measurements of interior quality are either direct or indirect measurements of the viscosity of the albumen or yolk. In determining interior quality by hand candling it is customary to hold two eggs in each hand, supporting one egg by the tips of the thumb and index finger and holding the other against the palm with the other fingers. Shell thickness measurements are easier to perform than measurements of specific gravity. A paper thickness gauge with the end filed round is used to measure the actual thickness of the shell, generally in three areas of the shell. Shell porosity is closely related to the loss in weight of an egg during storage. Porosity is determined by dying the eggshell in an alcoholic solution of methylene blue or crystal violet and then breaking the egg open.
