Eggs — Health and Safety Tips
These are personal notes on how to choose healthier and safer eggs.
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Egg Buying Terminology Cheatsheet:
Cage-free – hens are not kept in a system of cages, like battery hens; they may, however, be confined to barns or sheds as this does not necessarily mean free-range
Cruelty-free – a more complicated definition requiring the consumer to really know how the hens were raised; see the Humane Society for more information
Free-range – hens are given access to the outdoors; it does not specify the amount of time that they should be given so the application of this definition varies widely
Hormone-free / Antibiotic-free – hens are not given feed containing hormones or antibiotics, which can then be passed along to humans through the eating process
Omega-3 (DHA / EPA as subset) – naturally-present nutrients in eggs necessary for brain and heart health; flaxseed may be fed to hens to increase presence of Omega 3, which is found in the egg yolks; DHA / EPA comes from fish oils, so hens’ diets are also modified to increase this in eggs
Organic – hens are given feed that is free of fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics, hormones, and animal by-products; in organic-certified farms, the birds are also allowed to roam freely
Pasture-raised – hens are given total access to eating and foraging outdoors and are provided mobile units for sleeping; some evidence shows that these have better nutrient levels due to the variety of plants and bugs the birds eat
Pasteurized – a process of applying concentrated heat to shell eggs or egg products to destroy harmful organisms; some say that this also changes the taste and quality of the eggs, but these are recommended for use in dishes such as sauces that use under-cooked eggs (e.g., mayonnaise, béarnaise, hollandaise, Caesar salad dressing)
Vegetarian / Vegan feed – hens not given feed with animal by-products (does not also necessarily mean it is organic)
Basic Egg Safety Tips:
- Don’t eat raw eggs; refrain from licking the beaters when making a cake or eating raw cookie dough
- Refrigerate eggs (≤ 45o F / (≤ 7o C) and don’t leave them sitting out for hours once they’ve been refrigerated
- Cook them until the white and yolk are firm (in baked products and casseroles, the internal temperature should get to 160o F / 72o C); avoid eating runny or undercooked eggs
- Wash thoroughly in hot, soapy water anything that has or may have come into contact with raw eggs (hands, countertops, dishes, utensils, etc.)
Other Resources:
- American Egg Board (http://www.aeb.org)
- CDC (http://www.cdc.gov)
- Egg Safety Center (http://www.eggsafety.org)
- FDA (http://www.fda.gov)
- United Egg Producers (http://www.unitedegg.org)
- USDA (http://www.usda.gov)
