Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 August 1895 — EGGS WITHOUT SHELLS. [ARTICLE]

EGGS WITHOUT SHELLS.

Thousands Exported from Italy for Confectioners' Use. The Consular report on the trade of Genoa in 1894 contains the following: A commercial paper of Sept. 5 stated that the exportation of Italian eggs to England had attained considerable proportions, the principal importers being Italians, and the eggs being used by the large biscuit manufacturers and the principal pastry cooks, the latter including three Italian firms supplying pastry to hotels, cases and restaurants. One of these firms were said to consume 5,000 eggs weekly, purchased till recently from the Italian importers, but now from an English firm which supplies eggs from Russia, shelled and preserved in hermetri-cally-seaied tins, provided with a tap by which any required quantity may be drawn off at a time. Lower price and saving of time are mentioned as the advantages of this system, also freedom from damage in transport, and long keeping, so that Italian exporters of eggs were recommended to adopt it. According to information received by the .Chamber of Commerce at Cuneo from the Italian Consulate in London, the tin or drum, packed with straw in a wooden ease, held the contents of 1,000 to 1,500 eggs, the white not separated from the yoke, but the hole getting mixed up in the drum, which was protected by three iron hoops. The circular aperture through which the eggs were poured in was closed by a bung, and sealed, and the tap was supplied by the London pastry cooks. Great care was necessary in the selection of the eggs, as a single bad one would spoil the whole lot. The cases were marked “Russian produce,” those from Italy should be marked “Italian produce.” There were several marks or brands, and prices might be calculated at about 121 cents, per dozen, quotations being sometimes by the gallon. Prices went up to 16 or 18 cents, per dozen in winter. A later report in the same paper showed that the Italian adoption of this Russian system had not been so far successful, the eggs having been found spoiled on reaching their destination.