What’s The Deal with Eggs?
When it comes to eggs, nothing beats farm fresh, pasture raised eggs. You can always tell a pasture raised egg by the orange-colored yolks. These are the healthiest option when it comes to eggs because they contain more Vitamin A, omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin E. If they are raised organically, the chicken feed does not contain GMOs. The best source of pasture raised eggs is local farmers.
Caged: These are conventional eggs. More than 90% of eggs are caged eggs. These hens are confined to cages their entire life cycle and get little more than 60 square inches of space. They eat a diet of GMO corn and soy.
Cage free: Each hen had less than one square foot to roam and are confined to barns. They typically eat a diet of GMO corn and soy unless they are organic.
Free range: These hens are allotted less than two square feet per hen. They don’t go outdoors often like pasture raised hens. They are fed a diet of GMO corn and soy unless they are organic.
Pasture raised: Chickens are free to roam all around and eat bugs, feed, and peck in the dirt. They typically have more than 100 square feet per hen in order to roam. The barn doors are left open from morning until dusk.
Conventionally raised eggs are washed before they are sold. There are several processed that may be used. Sometimes, the eggs are wet and then sprayed with warm water. Sometimes they are sprayed with soap or detergent. Sometimes they are rotated through a system of brushes to remove dirt and debris, and sometimes they are sprayed with an antimicrobial sanitizer, usually containing chlorine. They may be dried with air jets. This is done to remove debris, bacteria, contaminants, and reduce the chance of salmonella. Eggs that have been washed do not need to be rewashed, and should be refrigerated immediately. Sometimes these eggs are pasteurized. This means they are heated enough to kill the bacteria on the surface of the egg, but not enough to begin cooking the egg. Most liquid egg products are pasteurized. After cleaning, the eggs are sorted by size and color. This is why they all look uniform when they are stacked on the grocery store shelves.
Farmers with more than 3,000 laying hens are required to wash their eggs before selling them. Local farmers with a few backyard hens, however, do not need to follow these regulations. They may sell their eggs unwashed. The egg has a natural coating called “cuticle” or “egg bloom.” This is an anti-bacterial protective coating that protects the porous egg from contaminants. It also seals the egg, and preserves moisture. These eggs may be stored at room temperature and should not be washed until right before using in order to keep the egg bloom undisturbed. Once the eggs are washed, they should be refrigerated immediately.
The color of the eggs is determined by the chicken that laid them. White eggs are laid by white chickens, and brown eggs are laid by brown chickens. Blue eggs are laid by black chickens. Sometimes, they even have speckles. Farm fresh eggs can stay good up to a month in room temperature. If they refrigerated, they can stay good from three to six months.
Washed eggs stay good between two hours and forty-eight hours when kept at room temperature. If refrigerated, they stay good for up to two months. Washed or unwashed, the eggs can stay good up to one year in the freezer. It is best to remove the shells and beat the eggs before freezing.
You can test if an egg is safe to eat by putting it in a bowl of water. If the egg sinks to the bottom, it is fresh. If it floats to the top, it may be past it’s shelf life, and is no longer ideal for eating. The bad egg floats because it now has an air bubble inside, causing it to float. Over time, the eggs absorb liquid and expel gas, causing the gas to escape and form the air bubble. When unsure if the eggs are good, it’s best to throw them out.