Egg export glossary

The Haugh unit measures the interior quality of an egg from its weight and albumen height; higher readings mean fresher, firmer whites.

Candling shines a bright light through an egg to inspect its interior and screen out cracks, blood spots and other defects before packing.

HS code 0407 is the Harmonised System heading for birds eggs in shell, with 040721 commonly used for fresh eggs of domestic fowl.

A reefer is a refrigerated shipping container that holds a set temperature in transit; table eggs travel in reefers at 5 to 8 degrees Celsius.

Incoterms are the standard trade rules that define who pays for and bears risk over freight, insurance and clearance at each stage of a shipment.

FOB (Free On Board) means the exporter loads the goods onto the vessel, after which the buyer pays and bears risk for ocean freight and insurance.

CFR (Cost and Freight) means the exporter pays ocean freight to the destination port, while the buyer carries insurance and import clearance.

CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight) means the exporter pays both ocean freight and insurance to the destination port named in the contract.

The cold chain is the unbroken temperature-controlled handling of eggs from packing through transit to discharge, protecting quality and shelf life.

A master carton is the export shipping carton of 360 eggs, made up of 12 moulded trays of 30 eggs each.

MOQ, the minimum order quantity, is one 20 ft reefer, approximately 236,160 eggs, with mixed-grade loading possible.

APEDA is India Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, which registers and supports exporters of products including eggs.

FSSAI is the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, the national regulator whose licensing covers food handling, grading and packing.

HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) is a preventive food-safety system that identifies and controls risks at each production step.

A Halal certificate confirms that handling meets Halal requirements; it is standard for Gulf markets and issued with every such consignment.

A veterinary health certificate is a destination-specific document on flock health and food safety, issued by authorities for each consignment.

Shelf life is how long eggs stay fit for sale; ours is 21 to 28 days ambient, or up to 45 days held at 5 to 8 degrees Celsius.

Albumen is the egg white, the clear protein that surrounds the yolk; its height and firmness indicate freshness and quality.

Grading is the sorting of eggs by weight band and quality, from Small to Jumbo, so cartons present uniformly to specification.

A moulded tray is the primary 30-egg pack, a formed pulp or plastic tray that cushions eggs and nests into the master carton.