One number is plant where the eggs are packed. The facility or plan number starts with P followed by three or four digits. Other number is packing date represented as the day of the year ranging from 0 to 365.
Eggs are also graded based on the interior and exterior quality. Their color or weight does not matter.
Grade AA : eggs with clean and unbroken and normal shaped shells, 1/8th inch or less air cell, clear and firm white and slightly defined and defect free yolk outline.
Grade A : eggs with clean and unbroken and normal shaped shells, 3/16th inch or less air cell, clear and reasonably firm white and fairly defined or well defined and defect freee yolk outline.
Grade B : eggs with stained less than 1/32 of surface if locally or 1/16 of surface if scattered and unbroken and abnormal shaped shells, 3/16th inch or more air cell, white and watery white and plain visible yolk outline with visible germ development.
Dirty: eggs with unbroken shells, prominent stains and adhering dirt or foreign material.
Check: eggs with broken or cracked shells but not leaking and membrane intact.
Leak: eggs with broken or cracked shells with leaking or ready to leak.
Egg cases are labelled based on the eggs packed in it at origin location.
Grade AA: cases with at least 87% grade AA eggs and at most 13% grade A or grade B and at most 5% checks.
Grade A: cases with at least 87% grade AA or grade A eggs and at most 13% grade B and at most 5% checks.
Grade B: cases with 90% grade B or better eggs and at most 10% checks.
Once they reach a destination, there will be more tolerance limit to accommodate the damage during transpiration.
Grade AA: cases with at least 72% grade AA eggs and at most 28% grade A or grade B and at most 7% checks.
Grade A: cases with at least 82% grade AA or grade A eggs and at most 18% grade B and at most 7% checks.
Grade B: cases with 90% grade B or better eggs and at most 10% checks.
usda egg carton labelling page.
usda grades definition
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