Of all the eggs produced in the United States, approximately 11% go to egg breaking plants that produce more than 800 million pounds of various liquid egg products annually. Production starts with the loading of eggs into an egg washer, which pressure sprays the eggs and minimizes the damage. Next the eggs make their way through the candling process, where eggs are mechanically rotated several times over a bright light to examine the internal quality of the egg. Once they pass the examination, they move into breaking rooms where shells are broken and the liquid is separated. After the egg is broken, the breaking machine can separate the yolk from the white. Liquid egg whites flow into collection vats by gravity, while a perforated plate in the vat filters out the eggshells. The liquid egg is then pumped into a storage silo for further processing. Aside from liquid egg whites, egg membranes, which are high in collagen, are processed and sent to companies that make dietary supplements and facial creams.
