Section 90A Sale of eggs regulated; eggs with treated shells - Massachusetts Statutes

Section 90A. Except as hereinafter otherwise provided, no person shall sell, or offer, expose or advertise for sale, eggs as “fresh eggs”, “strictly fresh eggs”, “nearby eggs” or “new-laid eggs” or eggs described with words of similar import, unless they meet the following specifications when examined by a method known as “candling”, viz.:— (1) the shell shall be clean and sound, (2) the air cell shall be not more than one quarter inch in depth and shall be localized and regular in outline, (3) the white shall be firm and clear, (4) the yolk shall not be plainly visible but may be dimly or slightly visible, and (5) there shall be no visible germ development.

Not more than ten per cent of the number of eggs sold at wholesale or offered, exposed or advertised for sale as aforesaid under any such description, and not more than two eggs in each dozen sold at retail or offered, exposed or advertised for sale as aforesaid under any such description, may vary from the foregoing specifications but only in the following particulars:— (1) the air cell may be not more than three eighths of an inch in depth and may be slightly tremulous, (2) the yolk may be plainly visible and mobile, (3) the white may be reasonably firm, and (4) germ development may be slightly visible; and, in addition, there shall be permitted, in respect to the selling, or offering, exposing or advertising for sale, of eggs at wholesale as aforesaid, a reasonable tolerance established by rules and regulations of the department, authority to establish the same being hereby granted.

No person shall sell, or offer or expose for sale, eggs which have been preserved or protected by treating the shells thereof unless the basket, box or other container in which the eggs are placed shall be plainly marked with letters not less than one half inch in height as “shell-treated” or “shell-protected”. Whoever violates any provision of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than twenty-five dollars for the first offence, and not more than one hundred dollars for each subsequent offence. The department of agriculture shall enforce the provisions of this section.