Egg Quality Control

County inspectors enforce state and federal laws and regulations pertaining to eggs and egg products. Inspectors are licensed by the federal government as well as by the state. These inspections ensure wholesome eggs as well as correct size and truthful labeling.

Anyone engaged in the production, sales, or handling of chicken eggs or egg products in California must register with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Egg Safety and Quality Management Program, or directly download the Egg Handlers and Producers Registration  Form (PDF). Due to changes in law, the Egg Handlers Registration is now an annual fee. Please contact CDFA’s Egg Safety and Quality Management Program for more information.

Resources

Here are some additional resources:

• CA Shell Egg Regulation Quick Reference Guide (PDF)
• Shell Egg Handler Information (PDF)

Requirements

Some requirements for egg handlers are:

• Labeling: Consumer-grade packages or containers of eggs must state all of the following: name, address, zip code, size, grade, quantity, the words "keep refrigerated," and either the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) plant of origin code number, the USDA Shell Egg Surveillance number, (if applicable) or California state handler code, sell-by date, Julian date of the pack (the consecutive day of the year that the eggs were packed, in Julian date format. Example-The Julian date for January 1 is 001, the Julian date for December 31 is 365).
• Quality: All shell eggs shall be graded and sized. The established grades of eggs are: AA, A, and B. The established sizes of eggs are: pee-wee, small, medium, large, extra-large, and jumbo.
• Refrigeration: Shell eggs must be maintained at a temperature of 45° Fahrenheit or less.
• Defects: Shell eggs for human consumption must not exceed the tolerances for defects such as checks, leakers, dirty eggs, inedible or loss eggs.