HAR §4-46-3. Standards for consumer grades for shell eggs

(a) Consumer Grade AA shell eggs shall consist of eggs which are at least eighty-seven per cent AA quality. Within the maximum tolerance of thirteen per cent which may be below AA quality, not more than one per cent may be B quality due to air cells over three- eighths inch, blood spots aggregating not more than one-eighth inch in diameter, or serious yolk defects; not more than five per cent (seven per cent for jumbo size) may be checks; and not more than one-half of one per cent may be leakers, dirties, or loss due to meat or blood spots (other types of loss shall not be permitted) in any combination, except that such loss may not exceed three-tenths of one per cent. Additional tolerances shall be as provided in subsection (e). (b) Consumer Grade A shell eggs shall consist of eggs which are at least eighty-seven per cent A quality or better. Within the maximum tolerance of thirteen per cent which may be below A quality, not more than one per cent may be B quality due to air cells over three-eighths inch, blood spots aggregating not more than one-eighth inch in diameter, or serious yolk defects; not more than five per cent (seven per cent for jumbo size) may be checks; and not more than one- half of one per cent may be leakers, dirties, or loss due to meat or blood spots (other types of loss shall not be permitted) in any combination, except that such loss may not exceed three-tenths of one per cent. Additional tolerances shall be as provided in subsection (e). (c) Consumer Grade B shell eggs shall consist of eggs which are at least ninety per cent B quality or better. Within the maximum tolerance of ten per cent allowed for checks and other defects, not more than one-half of one per cent may be leakers, dirties, or loss due to meat or blood spots (other types of loss shall not be permitted) in any combination, except that such loss may not exceed three-tenths of one per cent. Additional tolerances shall be as provided in subsection (e). (d) A summary of consumer grades is provided in the exhibit entitled "Table I. Summary of Consumer Grades for Shell Eggs (6/l/85)" located at the end of this chapter and which is made a part of this section. (e) The following additional tolerances shall apply to consumer grades for shell eggs: (1) In lots of two or more cases: (A) For consumer grade AA shell eggs, no individual case may contain less than seventy-seven per cent AA quality eggs; more than a total of twenty-three per cent of A and B quality eggs; or more than ten per cent check eggs; (B) For consumer grade A shell eggs, no individual case may contain less than seventy-seven per cent A quality eggs; 46-5 §4-46- more than twenty-three per cent B quality eggs; or more than ten per cent check eggs; and (C) For consumer grade B shell eggs, no individual case may contain less than eighty per cent B quality eggs or more than twenty per cent check eggs; (2) In lots of two or more cartons: (A) For consumer grades AA and A shell eggs, no individual carton may contain less than nine eggs of the specified quality and no individual carton may contain less than eleven eggs of the specified quality and the next lower quality. The remaining egg may be of a quality below the next lower quality or a check; and (B) For consumer grade B shell eggs, no individual carton may contain less than ten eggs of B quality or better. The remaining two eggs may consist of a combination of checks and qualities below B quality; and (3) For grades AA, A, and B, no lot shall be rejected or downgraded due to the quality of single egg except for loss due to other than blood or meat spots. (f) A summary of individual case tolerances is provided in the exhibit entitled "Table III. Tolerances for Individual Case Within a Lot (6/l/85)" located at the end of this chapter and which is made a part of this section. (g) Substitution of higher qualities of eggs for the lower qualities specified in consumer grades A and B shall be permitted. (h) United States consumer grades for shell eggs at destination as specified in section 56.216 of subpart C, United States Standards, Grades, and Weight Classes for Shell Eggs, part 56, subchapter C, chapter 1, title 7, agriculture, and additional tolerances for individual cases within a lot as provided in the exhibit entitled "Table IV. Tolerances for Individual Case Within a Lot at Destination (6/1/85)", located at the end of this chapter and which is made a part of this section, shall apply to imported eggs. A summary of the United States consumer grades for shell eggs at destination is provided in the exhibit entitled "Table II. Summary of U.S. Consumer Grades for Shell Eggs at Destination (6/1/85)", located at the end of this chapter and which is made a part of this section. The substitution of higher qualities of eggs for the lower qualities specified in U.S. consumer grades A and B shall be permitted. [Eff 5/29/81; am and comp 8/18/83; am and comp 3/24/86] (Auth: HRS §147-74) (Imp: HRS §147-74)