The Eggy Facts Of Life
The Eggy Facts Of Life
Eggs make a valuable contribution to a healthy and balanced diet. It provides essential vitamins and minerals like protein, vitamin A, riboflavin, vitamin E, for a nourishing lifestyle. In this article, we take a closer look at eggs and answer the very basic questions one asks when handling this staple.
How do I test if an egg is fresh or not?
First, fill a deep bowl with water and carefully lower the egg into the water. A very fresh egg will immediately sink to the bottom and lie flat on its side. This is because the air cell within the egg is very small. As the egg starts to lose its freshness, more air enters the egg. Thus an un-fresh egg will float and stand upright. Discard right away if this is seen.
How do I prolong egg storage?
Eggs are perishable and need to be refrigerated. Keep eggs in their original carton inside the coldest part of your refrigerator. Throw away eggs which are cracked, broken or leaking. Wash eggs before using or breaking. Eggs should be used up before the “Best before” date expired. For every hour eggs are at room temperature, they age an entire day.
Are brown eggs more nutritious than white eggs?
Nope. Color of an egg shell is determined only by the breed of the hen. Both brown and while are equally nutritious.
Why are yolks in some eggs brighter yellow than others?
The color of the egg yolk is dependent on the feed of the hen. Corn and soy-based vegetarian feeds create the deep yellow egg yolk.
Does size matter?
Several factors influence the size of an egg. The major factor is the age of the hen. As the hen ages, her eggs increase in size. Environment factors that lower egg weights are heat, stress, overcrowding and poor nutrition.
Why do hard-boiled eggs spoil faster than fresh white eggs?
When eggs are hard-boiled, the protective coating is washed away, leaving the bare pores in the shell for bacteria to enter and contaminate it. Hard-cooked eggs must be refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking and used within a week.
How do eggs become contaminated with Salmonella?
Most types of Salmonella live in the intestinal tracts of animals and birds and are transmitted to humans by contaminated foods of animal origin. Salmonella enteritidis silently infects the ovaries of seemingly healthy hens and contaminates their eggs before shells are formed.
Can you tell which eggs have been contaminated just by looking at them?
No. Egg color, size, shape, texture or taste has no bearing on whether the egg is contaminated.
How often does an egg been contaminated with Salmonella?
1 in 10,000 eggs have Salmonella.
How do I kill salmonella?
Cooking is still the optimum way to effectively kill salmonella. Ensure the egg is thoroughly cooked before consuming. Pasteurization destroys all harmful Salmonella bacteria and viruses in the egg. Buy pasteurized eggs if available.