Tips To Buy Eggs.

 
24-Jan-2008 by NAUSHABA TABASSUM

Thanks to EU regulations we can at least choose whether to buy eggs from hens kept in cages, indoor barns where they can move freely, or from free-range birds, with daytime access to outdoor runs whenever they want. This information must be given on egg boxes. Eighty-five per cent of UK eggs come stamped with the red 'Lion Quality' mark. The mark indicates that they're included in what is essentially a food-safety scheme (all Lion Quality eggs are from hens vaccinated against salmonella) but the scheme also sets higher standards of welfare than that required by law. Yet while the UK has the largest number of free-range hens in Europe, and demand for free-range eggs currently exceeds production, 56 per cent of eggs sold still come from caged hens; six per cent are from barn hens.

The RSPCA will not give the Freedom Food label to eggs from caged hens, of which there are an estimated 19 million. Their laying lives are short - most are no use after a year - and miserable.

                

     

The worst cages were due to be phased out in Europe by 2012 and replaced with 'enriched' cages, which welfare lobbyists believe are little better. Even so, some member states may not be able to comply with the regulations in time and a deTlayed review of this EU directive is causing concerns that the ban on cages will be even longer to come into force.                                                                                                                                        Free-range laying hens usually have their beaks trimmed to prevent them pecking each other, and most of the birds are kept in very large flocks. Freedom Food laying hens have larger range areas. Organic laying hens are kept in smaller flocks than free-range, have twice as much indoor space - and Soil Association hens have more outdoor space. Their beaks are not trimmed, either .                                     

Comments

Ganesh Dutta says :

nice info Naushaba! It is very necessary . Be aware : Be safe
Posted on: 24 January 2008 - 6:57am

shantihhh says :

Some stamp each egg with the best used by date which is very convenient. Some eggs are Plus Omega 3, and free range and organic eggs are best. I like to buy pasturized eggs if using raw in such as caesar salads. Eggs are a perfect healthy complete food full of protein but low in fats and calories. Shanti/Mary-Anne
Posted on: 24 January 2008 - 2:27pm

Snigdha says :

How to shop for the modern egg By Kelly Myers The following is a guide to egg-carton terminology. Brown eggs Brown eggs come from chickens with brown feathers, and white eggs come from chickens with white feathers. The color of the shell indicates nothing about the egg’s nutritional profile, taste, or the manner in which the laying hen was raised. Natural “Natural” sounds swell, but the label is unregulated and lacks meaning. Vegetarian / Vegetarian diet This label indicates that no animal by-products, such as beef tallow or chicken feathers, are in the chickens’ feed. And “vegetarian” sure sounds healthy. But chickens are natural omnivores who like to spend time outside digging for protein in the form of insects and worms, so the “vegetarian” label is really just another way of saying that the hens can’t go outside. Still, an all-vegetarian diet is nutritionally possible for chickens with the addition of synthetic vitamin B-12. Omega-3 enriched Omega-3 is a polyunsaturated fatty acid considered crucial by some for developing brains and preventing heart disease and depression. Farmers boost the omega-3 content of their hens’ eggs by adding ground flaxseed, algae, or even fish oil to the birds’ feed. Hormone free The FDA banned the use of hormones — most notably diethylstilbestrol, or DES — in poultry in 1959, after they not only caused tragic health problems in consumers but also failed to stimulate growth in chickens. Antibiotic free Regular dosing of livestock, including poultry, can encourage the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can, in turn, sicken humans. (NPR covered this story back in 2001.) Unfortunately, the term “antibiotic free” is unregulated and impossible to verify. And it’s difficult to pinpoint the extent of the egg industry’s reliance on antibiotics to preserve poultry health. Certified humane / Certified Humane: Raised and Handled It attests to how the hens are treated, but is less concerned with what they are fed.” Eggs with this label come from birds that, presumably, have better living conditions than battery birds. United Egg Producers Certified This label is fluffier than a newly hatched chick; it means only that the eggs, like most of the eggs sold in the U.S., came from battery birds.This certification merely attests that a company gives food and water to its caged hens. Cage free Cage-free eggs should come from hens that are not confined in cages. Generally, this means that the birds live on the floor of a large barn, typically by the thousands. Keep in mind, however, that the term “cage free” is not legally regulated. Fertile Fertile eggs, by definition, have been in contact not just with hens but with roosters. Which means that the hens most likely were not kept in cages. Free range / free roaming The phrase “free range” evokes fresh air and open skies. But according to Mitch Head, of the industry group United Egg Producers, the term, like “cage free,” is not linked to any outside regulator that inspects laying hens. Head says that “free range” means chickens have access to the outdoors; it does not necessarily mean the birds actually go outdoors. Organic / Certified Organic All organic eggs are certified by the USDA. Organic eggs come from hens whose feed is free of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and commercial fertilizers. Organic chicken feed contains no animal byproducts. The hens have never been given antibiotics. They are cage-free and have access to the outdoors. Pastured / Pasture raised Pastured hens range freely, sampling grubs, worms, bugs, grass, and fallen fruit and nuts. Only the smallest of farms — less than 1,000 birds — can put their hens out on enough greenery to support the birds. For detailed article log on to http://www.culinate.com/cook/food_features/The+eggsentials?page=0&pageSize=1
Posted on: 24 January 2008 - 3:08pm

NAUSHABA TABASSUM says :

Thank a lot 2 giving a important coments. It will be an Eggpedia
Posted on: 24 January 2008 - 3:54pm

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