Processed eggs go into items ranging from salad dressings to cake mix. Bloomberg says the prices for those eggs intended for processing are soaring to record highs because of the avian influenza outbreak. The rapid spread of influenza could make this one of the biggest outbreaks in history.
Twenty million birds have been culled from the nation’s flocks, which is hitting the market for breaker eggs hard. These eggs, many of which come from Iowa, are processed into liquid or powder form, and then go into manufactured foods. The high price for those breaker eggs is driving production costs higher for food makers, which, in turn, will push inflation higher. Many food manufacturers have shut down plants for sterilization and can’t fill orders.
The price of eggs that get cracked and sold in liquid form hit a record high of $2.37 a pound last week. Dried eggs and powdered egg products are also at their highest-ever prices.
(From the National Association of Farm Broadcasters)