What Is an Egg Scale?―Brief Review
Every egg sold is weighed to determine its size. The weight standards for the different size categories are set by the government―the size that you see listed on a typical egg carton in the market. The weight is often listed on egg packaging as weight per dozen.
Definitions: A "scale" shows the weight of an egg or a dozen eggs. For example, a dozen might be 22½ ounces. A "grader" shows an egg's size category, such as "Medium," not the specific weight of an egg. The general term is "egg scale" for either one. It was several years before "grade" (such as Grade A) became a measure of quality.
Through the years, there have been quite a number of manufacturers who produced and sold egg scales in the United States, Canada, England, and eventually globally. This was pushed by having higher prices for larger eggs and, therefore, a need for standards.
In the past, farmers weighed and sorted eggs one by one using the types of egg scales displayed in this collection. Today, eggs are weighed and sorted on electronic scales using automated machinery.
Current standards throughout the USA are as follows:
|
Minimum Weight |
Peewee |
Small |
Medium |
Large |
Extra Large |
Jumbo |
|
Ounces per Egg |
1 ¼ |
1 ½ |
1 ¾ |
2 |
2 ¼ |
2 ½ |
|
Ounces per Dozen |
15 – <18 |
18 – <21 |
21 – <24 |
24 – < 27 |
27 – <30 |
30+ |
For standards around the world: CLICK HERE.
For additional information, we recommend: Charley Amsbaugh, North American Egg Scales from ABC to Zenith, Ecko House Publishing, 2011. To purchase, email: research.eggscales@comcast.net.