Are store bought eggs really as nutritious as farm fresh?

[tnchickenut]

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Exactly what I was going to mention... farm fresh anything is better than store bought anything... anyday... anytime.

 

[b.hromada]

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How old they are depends upon market conditions. If sales are up and stock is moving, the eggs are fresher in the store. If sales are down a little the processing plants build up a surplus that is kept in cold storage. The eggs that are in cold storage may be sent to the breaker to be used for egg products or may be sold to other other regions that are experiencing shortages. Eggs are a commodity. It is not uncommon for semi trailers of shell eggs to be bought and sold between companies and trucked across the country to areas where they are needed.

Egg cartons are stamped with the day they are packed, and a Sell By date. The day packed is typically a julian date, 045 would be the 45th day of the year. The Sell By date is typically 30 days from that and is in month-day format, e.g., FEB 16. The cartons are stamped with a plant code, P-0155 or WI-005 would be examples, P codes are USDA inspected plants, two letter codes are state inspected plants. If they are processed in a state inspected plant, they typically stay in that state. Most plants are USDA inspected though. How old they are before they are packed varies and there is no way to tell. If they are bought and sold between companies they are stored on bulk pallets and would be processed at the receiving end to be placed in the buying companies own packaging, although the USDA recommends that happen within five days.

That little thin spot on the end of the shell is not an indicator of egg freshness. It's more of an indicator of the age of the hens. As the hens grow older those little thin spots become more and more common.

Thats interesting. thanks for sharing with us!

 

[dancingbear]

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Which subject? The nutritional profile of the eggs, the clear spots, (what clear spots? on the shell?) the age of the eggs?

Which "myth"? If it's the better nutritional profile, it's not a myth. (never mind the Mythbuster's liberties with the language, if the belief hasn't been shown to be false, it's not a myth. Maybe a possible myth, until either proven or busted...) However, you have to watch where the eggs really came from. Wiki has a photo of a densely stocked chicken barn, where overcrowded "cage-free" hens lay eggs that are no different from regular battery hens. (I think of them as "concentration camp chickens") The legal definitions of "cage-free", "free-range", and other terms can allow very misleading marketing. Which is what they are meant to do, mislead the consumer, not protect or inform the consumer, thanks to special interest groups. (follow the money)

The "REAL free-range" or "pastured poultry" eggs are the ones that are truly better, the ones where the hens actually get outside not just on dirt or concrete, but on actual vegetation, and get a chance to eat things chickens are supposed to eat. Like these:

Not like these:

Does that help? Good luck with the project!

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Photos can be deceiving.

What kind of conditions are the birds in the first two photos kept in during the winter or during inclement weather?

That third photo is a state of the art, modern aviary that is typical of cage free systems in Europe. It has several levels that provide food and water to the birds, perches for the birds to roost on, and scratch areas for the birds to scratch and dust bathe in. It has roll away nest boxes to keep eggs sanitary and manure collection belts used to remove the manure from the system on a regular basis. More than likely it has natural ventilation for the summer, and controlled ventilation and heating for the winter. How do you know that it is not part of a larger pasture based system like in this photo?

What would you expect to find inside of this building?

 

[MaggieRae]

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That's interesting. I wonder what difference fresh eggs vs. store bought eggs have concerning heart attack victims.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Oh they are WAY more healthy for us. Unless you plan on keeping them caged like the ones at the factories that is..and then still they are more healthy because we don't pump them full of antibiotics and such. I loved that MOther earth Magazine article !~

 

[CARS]

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My God, that is my dream coop and run!!! Absolutely beautiful

 

[PacsMan]

Yes, free range eggs are more nutritious.
Check out my "egg facts" page below.

Marty

 

[Amigatec]

I was at an Egg farm in SW Missouri about 20 years ago. I walked in the Coop the hens were in cages about 4 feet off the floor and their was at least 3 feet of poop under the cages. The smell was so strong my eyes started to water, I had to leave. There is no way you can ever convince me that store eggs are better than farm eggs.

 

[Chickenmaven]

My birds are not out on a pasture. They are cage free and live in a coop & run. They do get pellets & scratch, as well as hay (grass in the summer) and lots of garden veggies. OF COURSE, their eggs taste better!