(1) In addition to any other records required to be kept and furnished the director under the provisions of this chapter, the director may require any person who sells to any retailer, or to any restaurant, hotel, boarding house, bakery, or any institution or concern which purchases eggs for serving to guests or patrons thereof or for its use in preparation of any food product for human consumption, candled or graded eggs other than those of his or her own production sold and delivered on the premises where produced, to furnish that retailer or other purchaser with an invoice covering each such sale, showing the exact grade or quality, and the size or weight of the eggs sold, according to the standards prescribed by the director, together with the name and address of the person by whom the eggs were sold. The person selling and the retailer or other purchaser shall keep a copy of said invoice on file at his or her place of business for a period of thirty days, during which time the copy shall be available for inspection at all reasonable times by the director: PROVIDED, That no retailer or other purchaser shall be guilty of a violation of this chapter if he or she can establish a guarantee from the person from whom the eggs were purchased to the effect that they, at the time of purchase, conformed to the information required by the director on such invoice: PROVIDED FURTHER, That if the retailer or other purchaser having labeled any such eggs in accordance with the invoice keeps them for such a time after they are purchased as to cause them to deteriorate to a lower grade or standard, and sells them under the label of the invoice grade or standard, he or she shall be guilty of a violation of this chapter.

(2) Each retailer and each distributor shall store shell eggs awaiting sale or display eggs under clean and sanitary conditions in areas free from rodents and insects. Shell eggs must be stored up off the floor away from strong odors, pesticides, and cleaners.

(3) After being received at the point of first purchase, all graded shell eggs packed in containers for the purpose of sale to consumers shall be held and transported under refrigeration at ambient temperatures no greater than forty-five degrees Fahrenheit (seven and two-tenths degrees Celsius). This provision shall apply without limitation to retailers, institutional users, dealer/wholesalers, food handlers, transportation firms, or any person who handles eggs after the point of first purchase.

(4) No invoice shall be required on eggs when packed for sale to the United States department of defense, or a component thereof, if labeled with grades promulgated by the United States secretary of agriculture.

Effective date—1995 c 374 §§ 1-47, 50-53, and 59-68: See note following RCW 15.36.012.