An egg is laid with an
invisible coating called a “bloom” or “cuticle” to protect it. This special glazing seals the highly
porous eggshell, preventing bacteria from entering the egg, and reducing
moisture loss to prolong freshness.
Because large egg
production facilities cannot feasibly monitor the hygiene of each and every hen
in their operation, they must wash all their eggs before sending them to
market, stripping away their natural sealant, which then has to be replaced
with a coating of oil to prevent spoilage. This is why the eggs in the store will sometimes appear
shiny.
When you buy your eggs
fresh from RAINBOW EGG FARM they go home with you with their natural bloom
still intact. To maintain the
highest freshness, and prevent absorption of odors from other foods, keep your
eggs stored under refrigeration, pointy end down in their original carton. For safest handling always rinse your
eggs just before use.
Store bought eggs can
sometimes be months old before they make it to your table. The freshest eggs will have cloudy whites. As carbon dioxide is lost over time whites
turn watery and transparent. When
you crack a fresh egg into a frying pan the white will be thick and hold
together, and the yolk will be rich in color and raised not flat. You can also test the freshness of an
egg still in its shell by placing it in a pot or bowl of cold water. And old egg will float.
An occasional blood
speck in an egg is actually a good sign.
It means the egg is fresh, and is perfectly safe to eat. As an egg ages blood specks dissipate
and can’t be seen.
Hardboiled or not? Spin the egg in question on a
countertop – carefully. Wobbly eggs are raw. If it spins nice an steady, it’s
hardboiled.
A fertilized egg tastes
the same as an unfertilized egg.
As long as an egg has not been incubated it makes no nutritional
difference if it has been fertilized or not.
According to the USDA
Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education Program Pasture-raised eggs have
10% less fat, 34% less cholesterol, 40% more vitamin A, and 400% more omega-3
fatty acids.
An egg from a pastured hen is 30% higher in vitamin E (Animal Feed Science and Technology, 1998)
Pasture-raised eggs produce positive HDL or good cholesterol and lower “bad” triglycerides. (Nutrition, 1993)
There is no nutritional
difference attributed to the color of an eggshell.
It takes a 24-26 hours
cycle for a hen to produce a single egg.
Depending on the breed and age of a hen, eggs may be produced daily, or
only a couple per week.