b. Inspect Shipping Cases. Inspect the shipping cases to ensure that the
packing and packaging are adequate to protect the product during storage and
distribution. The shipping cases will be free of tears, crushed sides or corners, stains,
or foreign material.
c. Determine Product Age. Determine the age of the product using
procedures learned in Subcourse MD0694, Basic Food Inspection Procedures, Lesson
6, and compare actual age with age requirements.
d. Verify Temperature of Conveyance. Step "a" above indicated that the
conveyance should be inspected. See Subcourse MD0694, Basic Food Inspection
Procedures, Lesson 4, for measurement of product temperature. Temperature
requirements for conveyances are found in the inspection data packet.
e. Verify Temperature of Shell Eggs.
(1) Temperature requirements for shell eggs are found in the inspection
data packet. Current temperature requirements state that, at time of delivery, fresh
eggs that are not more than 15 days old must have a case-average internal egg
temperature no higher than 60oF (16oC) with no individual case having an internal egg
temperature exceeding 65oF (18oC).
(2) You should take the internal temperature of at least one egg, and more if
necessary, from each of the sample cases.
(3) Use the following method to determine internal temperature of shell eggs
in tray packs (wholesale grade shell eggs):
(a) Choose an egg from the center area of the center tray of the
compartment. This tray is NOT used for determining net weight. And the tray is NOT
used for candling.
(b) Using one empty tray, place egg in tray with small end down.
(c) Take bimetallic (baby dial) thermometer, hold thermometer firmly in
one hand, and place the point of the thermometer on the center part of the upright egg.
Using two fingers from the other hand, tap the thermometer gently into the egg so that
the egg encloses the sensing portion of thermometer.
(d) After five minutes, remove the thermometer and record the
temperature. On each sample case drawn, an internal temperature will be taken using
above procedures.
(e) Add up all temperatures taken from samples and determine
average temperature.
MD0713
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