Effect of Drying after Washing on the Incidence of Eggs Infected by Spoilage Micro-Organisms

Abstract The importance of moisture and humidity in relation to the penetration of bacteria through the egg shell has been pointed out in a general way (Haines, 1939). Experimental studies of the effect of moisture and humidity on the ability of bacteria to penetrate the eggs are probably lacking due to the technical difficulties encountered in the precise measurement of humidity and moisture content and its accurate control. During some preliminary experiments on the effect of humidity, the penetration of bacteria through the shell, the relation of the work to some of the problems encountered in washing eggs was brought out. While further work is under way with regard to the role humidity and shell moisture play in the penetration of the shell by spoilage organisms, an experiment was designed to bring out the importance of adequate drying after the washing of eggs, on the infection of eggs held for a . . .