Canada Grade A Eggs are what consumers would purchase in the super market.
Egg Weights:
Jumbo +70g
Extra large 56g – 63g
Large 50g – 55g
Medium 49g
Grade B
These eggs are usually used in commercial baking or go to places like hospitals and restaurants. Very few are sold at retail stores.
The Yolks are slightly flat and the white is thinner.
Shell is un-cracked and may have a rough texture; and/or be slightly soiled and stained.
Grade C
These are the lowest grade egg and are used in the production of processed egg products only. They are not sold in grocery stores.
Yolk is flattened and may be oblong in shape; white is thin and watery.
Shell may be cracked and/or stained.
Common Questions
Why are some eggshells white and others are brown?
The colour of the egg shell is dependent on the breed of the hen. There is no difference in nutritive value, flavour or cooking performance between a white shelled and brown shelled egg.
Why are the yolks not all the same colour?
The colour of the yolk depends on what the Hen eats. If the Hen eats wheat the yolks are usually a lighter lemon coloured yellow. If the Hen eats mainly Corn or Alfalfa the yolk will be a orange yellow colour.
Egg White Colour
Sometimes a raw egg’s white may have a greenish hue due to the presence of riboflavin (Vitamin B2). Sometimes the raw egg white may be cloudy. This is due to the natural presence of carbon dioxide that has not had time to escape through the egg’s shell and therefore indicates a very fresh egg. In both instances the eggs are perfectly safe to eat.
Blood Spots
Blood also called “meat” spots are occasionally found on an egg yolk. These tiny red or red-brown spots are not harmful. The rupture of a blood vessel causes them during the formation of the egg. Blood spots do not mean that the egg has been fertilized and the eggs are perfectly safe to eat. If it bothers you, just take it out with the tip of a knife.
“White strings” (Chalaza)
The fresher the egg, the more noticeable the white string that holds the yolk in place will be. They are safe to eat and generally “disappear” when an egg is cooked.