Chicken egg sizes

Chicken eggs are graded by size, for the purpose of sales. The egg shell constitutes 8–9% of the weight of the egg (calculated from data in Table 2, F. H. Harms)[1]

Medium white eggs in carton

United States

The United States Department of Agriculture sizing is based by weight per dozen.[2] The most common U.S. size of chicken egg is 'Large' and is the egg size commonly referred to for recipes.

The following egg masses including shell have been calculated on the basis of the USDA sizing:

Modern Sizes (US)
Size Minimum mass per egg Cooking Yield (Volume)[3]
Jumbo 70.9 g2.5 oz. 61 mL (4.75 tbsp)
Very Large or Extra-Large (XL) 63.8 g2.25 oz. 56 ml (4 tbsp)
Large (L) 56.7 g2 oz. 46 ml (3.25 tbsp)
Medium (M) 49.6 g1.75 oz. 43 ml (3 tbsp)
Small (S) 42.5 g1.5 oz.
Peewee 35.4 g1.25 oz.

Canada

In Canada, modern egg sizes are defined as follows:

Modern Sizes (Canada)[4]
Size Minimum mass per egg
Jumbo 70 g
Extra Large 63 g
Large 56 g
Medium 49 g
Small 42 g
Peewee Less than 42 g

Europe

In Europe, modern egg sizes are defined as follows.[5]

Size Minimum mass per egg
Extra large (XL) 73 g
Large (L) 63 g
Medium (M) 53 g
Small (S) Less than 53 g

Post-Soviet countries

In countries which are members of Interstate Council for Standardization, Metrology and Certification: Russia, Belarus, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Georgia, and Turkmenistan eggs are sorted into five categories by mass:[6]

Category Mass range per egg
Highest (В) 75 g and more
Select (О) 65 g – 74.9 g
First (1) 55 g – 64.9 g
Second (2) 45 g – 54.9 g
Third (3) 35 g – 44.9 g

Australia

In Australia, the Australian Egg Corporation defines the following sizes in its labeling guide.[7]

Modern Sizes (Australia)
Size Mass range per egg Average mass per egg
King‐size 71.7 g – 78.5 g 73 g
Jumbo 66.7 g – 71.6 g 68 g
Extra-Large 58.3 g – 66.6 g 60 g
Large 50.0 g – 58.2 g 52 g
Medium 41.7 g – 49.9 g 43 g

In Western Australia, two additional sizes are also standardized by the Golden Eggs Corporation[8]

Additional Sizes (Western Australia)
Mega or XXXL 72 g
Medium 43 g

New Zealand

In New Zealand sizes are based on the minimum mass per egg:[9]

Modern Sizes (New Zealand)
Size Minimum mass per egg
Jumbo (8) 68 g
Large (7) 62 g
Standard (6) 53 g
Medium (5) 44 g
Pullet (4) 35 g
Traditional Sizes
Size Mass range per egg
Size 0 Greater than 75 g
Size 1 70 g – 75 g
Size 2 65 g – 70 g
Size 3 60 g – 65 g
Size 4 55 g – 60 g
Size 5 50 g – 55 g
Size 6 45 g – 50 g
Size 7 Less than 45 g

Brazil

In Brazil sizes are based on the mass. :[10]

Sizes (Brazil)
Size
Jumbo Greater than 66 g
Extra 60 g to 65 g
Large 55 g to 59 g
Medium 50 g to 54 g
Small 45 g to 49 g
Industrial Less than 45 g

Animal welfare considerations

According to Tom Vasey, chair of the British Free Range Producers' Association, laying larger eggs is painful for the hen. He recommends shoppers only to buy eggs of medium or smaller sizes.[11] Professor Christine Nicol of the University of Bristol has stated 'There is no strong evidence of pain in egg-laying hens but it's not unreasonable to think there may be a mismatch in the size of birds and the eggs they produce. We do often spot bloodstains on large eggs.' [12]

References

  1. F. H. Harms (June 25, 1990). "Specific Gravity of Eggs and Eggshell Weight from Commercial Layers and Broiler Breeders in Relation to Time of Oviposition". CiteSeerX 10.1.1.827.3676. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. "Sizing of Eggs". USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Retrieved 2014-05-06.
  3. "What to Do With Egg Whites". gourmetsleuth.com/. Retrieved 2008-01-13.
  4. "Egg Regulations C.R.C., c. 284". Justice Laws – Canada. 2013-04-26. Retrieved 2016-11-24.
  5. UNECE Standard EGG-1 concerning the marketing and commercial quality control of eggs-in-shell (PDF) (Report). United Nations. 2010. p. 9. Retrieved 2015-01-02.
  6. "ГОСТ 31654-2012 Food chicken eggs. Specifications". protect.gost.ru. Retrieved 2017-06-06.
  7. "Egg Labelling Guide – Guide to Australian laws, regulations and standards for egg producers" (PDF). Australian Egg Corporation. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  8. "Golden Eggs Western Australia Product Range". Goldeneggs.com.au. Archived from the original on 2010-02-08. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
  9. "Egg Labelling". Egg Producers Federation of New Zealand. Retrieved 2016-11-24.
  10. "Por que há diferenças no tamanho dos ovos". Ovosite. Retrieved 2017-11-22.
  11. "Buying large eggs is cruel, shoppers told". The Times. 2009-03-11. Retrieved 2020-04-21.
  12. Zoe Williams (12 March 2009). "Let's lay off large eggs!". The Guardian.
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