Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 38, September 20, 2024
Eggs classed as "restricted eggs" are exempt from the size
and quality standards for consumer grade eggs except as provided in the
tolerances, if any, for undergrade eggs.
Restricted eggs may be sold directly to consumers only as
follows: by a shell egg producer from his own flock's production, at the site
of production or segregation, or at secondary locations operated by the
producer-packer for the primary purpose of shell egg retail sales; by a shell
egg packer at the grading station where grading or segregation occurred.
Special provisions described below place restrictions upon
the sale, processing, movement, distribution and uses of restricted
eggs.
Any product segregated into the several restricted egg
categories must bear legible and conspicuous labeling of its quality on the
carton, case, rack or pallet, as applicable. Name, address and zip code of the
packer is required for shipment, but need not appear on the label if it appears
elsewhere on the packing medium described above.
(a) Product for Human Consumption.
(1) Checks--direct sales to consumers.
Checked eggs may be sold directly to a consumer for exclusive use by his
household and nonpaying guests, in quantities not to exceed 30 dozen per sale.
Eggs labeled "checks" may not exceed 1 percent dirties, leakers and loss (due
to meat or blood spots), except that loss may not exceed 0.5 percent.
(2) Checks--sales to breaking plants. Checked
eggs may be sold in bulk and transported only for processing into an egg
product at a USDA inspected egg product plant. Labeling shall include the
statement "For Processing Only in an Official USDA Egg Product Plant." For this
purpose a tolerance of 5 percent leakers and 1 percent other loss or dirties is
permitted.
(3) Dirties--direct
sales to consumers. Dirty eggs may be sold directly to a consumer for exclusive
use by his household and nonpaying guests, in quantities not to exceed 30 dozen
per sale. Eggs labeled "dirty" may not exceed 10 percent checks and 1 percent
leakers and loss (due to meat or blood spots), except that loss may not exceed
0.5 percent.
(4) Dirties--sales to
breaking plants. Dirty eggs may be sold in bulk and transported only for
processing into an egg product at a USDA inspected egg product plant. Labeling
shall include the statement "For Processing Only in an Official USDA Egg
Product Plant." Eggs so labeled may not exceed 10 percent checks or 1 percent
loss.
(5) Dirties--transported for
cleaning. Dirty eggs may be transported to another facility and location for
the purpose of cleaning.
(6) Checks
and Dirties--direct sales to consumers. Checked and dirty eggs may be sold
directly to a consumer for exclusive use by his household and nonpaying guests,
in quantities not to exceed 30 dozen per sale. Eggs labeled "checks and
dirties" may not exceed 1 percent leakers and loss (due to meat or blood
spots), except that loss may not exceed 0.5 percent.
(7) Checks and Dirties--sales to breaking
plants. Checked and dirty eggs may be sold in bulk and transported only for
processing into an egg product at a USDA inspected egg product plant. Labeling
shall include the statement "For Processing Only in an Official USDA Egg
Products Plant." For this purpose a tolerance of 5 percent leakers and 1
percent other loss is permitted.
(8) Bloods--sales to breaking plants. Eggs
containing large blood or meat spots with only slight diffusion, if any, into
the egg white, and when labeled "Spots" or "Light Bloods," may be sold and
transported without denaturation to a USDA inspected egg product plant for
processing as an egg product. Labeling must include the statement "For
Processing Only in an Official USDA Egg Products Plant." No other type loss is
permitted for this product.
(b) Product Unfit for Use as Human Food.
Leakers, loss and inedible eggs must be rendered unfit for human food purposes
at point of segregation by one of the following methods:
(1) Processed into animal food--in shell
form. Sale and transportation of loss eggs for animal food purposes are
permitted when denatured by application of dye to the shell and the following
statement included in the label: "Restricted Eggs--Not To Be Used As Human
Food."
(2) Processed into animal
food--liquid form. Sale and transportation of loss eggs in liquid form for
animal food purposes is permitted when denatured and the following statement is
included in the label: "Restricted Eggs--Not To Be Used As Human Food." When
shipped and received under USDA supervision the product need not be
denatured.
(3) Processed into
industrial product. Inedible eggs in liquid form may be processed into an
industrial product at the grading station. If transported from the plant, the
product must be denatured and the following statement included in the labeling:
"Inedible Egg Product--Not To Be Used As Human Food."
(4) Destroyed. Any form of restricted eggs
other than incubator rejects may be disposed of by intermingling with refuse
and discarded.
(c)
Incubator Rejects. Eggs which have been subjected to incubation may not be
moved in shell form, but must be crushed and denatured upon removal from
incubation. If transported from the hatchery the product must be labeled:
"Inedible Egg Product--Not To Be Used As Human Food."
Note: Authority cited: Sections
407,
27531
and
27642,
Food and Agricultural Code. Reference: Sections
27531
and
27642,
Food and Agricultural Code.
