egg-grading process in which the egg is inspected before a penetrating light in a darkened room for signs of fertility, defects, or freshness. First used to check embryo development in eggs (egg) being incubated, candling is used in modern commercial egg production primarily to rate quality.

Because the air cell at the wide end of the egg shrinks with age, its size is a good indicator of freshness. The shadow cast on the shell by the yolk also shows the age; since an older egg has thinner albumin, its yolk rests closer to the shell, casting a sharper shadow. The trained candler can also tell the size, shape and color of the yolk and detect the presence of blood clots.