Eggs as food

Humans and their hominid relatives have consumed eggs for millions of years.The most widely consumed eggs are those offowl, especiallychickens. People in Southeast Asia began harvesting chicken eggs for food by 1500 BCE.Eggs of otherbirds, such asducksandostriches, are eaten regularly but much less commonly than those of chickens. People may also eat the eggs ofreptiles,amphibians, andfish. Fish eggs consumed as food are known asroeorcaviar.
Hensand other egg-laying creatures are raised throughout the world, andmass productionof chicken eggs is a global industry. In 2009, an estimated 62.1 millionmetric tonsof eggs were produced worldwide from a total laying flock of approximately 6.4 billion hens.There are issues of regional variation in demand and expectation, as well as current debates concerning methods of mass production. In 2012, theEuropean Unionbannedbattery husbandryof chickens.
Bird eggs have been valuable foodstuffs sinceprehistory, in both hunting societies and more recent cultures where birds were domesticated. The chicken was most likely domesticated for its eggs (from jungle fowl native to tropical and subtropical Southeast Asia andIndian subcontinent) before 7500BCE.Chickenswere brought to Sumer and Egypt by 1500 BCE, and arrived inGreecearound 800 BCE, where thequailhad been the primary source of eggs.InThebes, Egypt, the tomb of Haremhab, dating to approximately 1420 BCE, shows a depiction of a man carrying bowls ofostrich eggsand other large eggs, presumably those of thepelican, as offerings.Inancient Rome, eggs were preserved using a number of methods and meals often started with an egg course.TheRomanscrushed the shells in their plates to prevent evil spirits from hiding there.
In theMiddle Ages, eggs were forbidden duringLentbecause of their richness,although the motivation for forgoing eggs during Lent was not entirely religious. An annual pause in egg consumption allowed farmers to rest their flocks, and also to limit their hens' consumption of feed during a time of year when food stocks were usually scarce.
Eggs scrambled with acidic fruit juices were popular inFrancein the seventeenth century; this may have been the origin oflemon curd.
The dried egg industry developed in the nineteenth century, before the rise of the frozen egg industry.In 1878, a company inSt. Louis, Missouristarted to transform egg yolk and egg white into a light-brown, meal-like substance by using a drying process.The production ofdried eggssignificantly expanded duringWorld War II, for use by the United States Armed Forces and its allies.
In 1911, theegg cartonwas invented by Joseph Coyle inSmithers, British Columbia, to solve a dispute about broken eggs between a farmer inBulkley Valleyand the owner of the Aldermere Hotel. Early egg cartons were made of paper.Polystyreneegg cartons became popular in the latter half of the twentieth century as they were perceived to offer better protection especially against heat and breakage, however, by the twenty-first century environmental considerations have led to the return of morebiodegradablepaper cartons (often made of recycled material) that once again became more widely used.
Whereas the wild Asian fowl from which domesticated chickens are descended typically lay about a dozen eggs each year during the breeding season, several millennia of selective breeding have produced domesticated hens capable of laying more than three hundred eggs each annually, and to lay eggs year round.
Birdeggs are a commonfoodand one of the most versatileingredientsused in cooking. They are important in many branches of the modernfood industry.
The most commonly used bird eggs are those from thechicken,duck, andgoose. Smaller eggs, such asquail eggs, are used occasionally as a gourmet ingredient in Western countries. Eggs are a common everyday food in many parts of Asia, such as China andThailand, with Asian production providing 59 percent of the world total in 2013.
The largest bird eggs, fromostriches, tend to be used only as special luxury food.Gull eggsare considered a delicacy inEngland,as well as in some Scandinavian countries, particularly inNorway. In some African countries,guineafowleggs often are seen in marketplaces, especially in the spring of each year.Pheasanteggs andemueggs are edible, but less widely available;sometimes they are obtainable from farmers,poulterers, or luxury grocery stores. In many countries, wild bird eggs are protected by laws which prohibit the collecting or selling of them, or permit collection only during specific periods of the year.
In 2017, world production of chicken eggs was 80.1 milliontonnes. The largest producers were China with 31.3 million of this total, the United States with 6.3 million, India at 4.8 million, Mexico at 2.8 million, Japan at 2.6 million, and Brazil and Russia with 2.5 million each.The largest egg factory in British Columbia, for example, ships 12 million eggs per week.
For the month of January 2019, the United States produced 9.41 billion eggs, with 8.2 billion for table consumption and 1.2 billion for raising chicks.Americans are projected to each consume 279 eggs in 2019, the highest since 1973, but less than the 405 eggs eaten per person in 1945.
During production, eggs can becandledto check their quality.The size of an egg's air cell is determined, and if fertilization took place three to six days or earlier prior to the candling, blood vessels can typically be seen as evidence that the egg contains an embryo.Contrary tocommon misconception, this is not conclusive evidence of fertilization, as blood vessels can just denote an ordinary rupture on the egg yolk surface while the egg was forming.Depending on local regulations, eggs may be washed before being placed inegg boxes, although washing may shorten their length of freshness.
Bird and reptile eggs consist of a protectiveeggshell, albumen (egg white), and vitellus (egg yolk), contained within variousthin membranes. The egg yolk is suspended in the egg white by one or two spiral bands of tissue called thechalazae(from the Greek wordχάλαζα, meaning 'hailstone' or 'hard lump'). The shape of a chicken egg resembles aprolate spheroidwith one end larger than the other and has cylindrical symmetry along the long axis.
The larger end of the egg contains an air cell that forms when the contents of the egg cool down and contract after it is laid. Chicken eggs are graded according to the size of this air cell, measured duringcandling. A very fresh egg has a small air cell and receives a grade of AA. As the size of the air cell increases and the quality of the egg decreases, the grade moves from AA to A to B. This provides a way of testing the age of an egg: as the air cell increases in size due to air being drawn through pores in the shell as water is lost, the egg becomes less dense and the larger end of the egg will rise to increasingly shallower depths when the egg is placed in a bowl of water. A very old egg will float in the water and should not be eaten,especially if a foul odor can be detected if the egg is cracked open.
Eggshell color is caused bypigmentdeposition during egg formation in theoviductand may vary according tospeciesandbreed, from the more common white or brown to pink or speckled blue-green. The brown pigment isprotoporphyrin IX, a precursor ofheme, and the blue pigment isbiliverdin, a product of the breakdown of heme.Generally,chicken breedswith white ear lobes lay white eggs, whereas chickens with red ear lobes lay brown eggs.Although there is no significant link between shell color and nutritional value, often there is a cultural preference for one color over another (see§ Color of eggshellbelow). As candling is less effective with brown eggs, they have a significantly higher incidence of blood spots.
Theeggshell membraneis a clear film lining the eggshell, visible when one peels a boiled egg. Primarily, it is composed of fibrousproteinssuch ascollagentype I.These membranes may be used commercially as a dietary supplement.
"White" is the common name for the clear liquid (also called the albumen or the glair/glaire) contained within an egg. Colorless and transparent initially, upon cooking it turns white and opaque. In chickens, it is formed from the layers of secretions of the anterior section of the henoviductduring the passage of the egg.It forms around bothfertilizedand unfertilized yolks. The primary natural purpose of egg white is to protect the yolk and provide additional nutrition during the growth of theembryo.
Egg white consists primarily of approximately 90 percent water into which is dissolved 10 percentproteins(includingalbumins,mucoproteins, andglobulins). Unlike the yolk, which is high inlipids(fats), egg white contains almost no fat and thecarbohydratecontent is less than one percent. Egg white has many uses in food and many other applications, including the preparation ofvaccines, such asthose for influenza.
Theyolkin a newly laid egg is round and firm. As the yolk ages, it absorbs water from the albumen, which increases its size and causes it to stretch and weaken thevitelline membrane(the clear casing enclosing the yolk). The resulting effect is a flattened and enlarged yolk shape.
Yolk color is dependent on the diet of the hen. If the diet contains yellow or orange plantpigmentsknown asxanthophylls, then they are deposited in the yolk, coloring it.Luteinis the most abundant pigment in egg yolk.A diet without such colorful foods may result in an almost colorless yolk. Yolk color is, for example, enhanced if the diet includes foods such as yellowcornandmarigoldpetals.In the US, the use of artificial color additives is forbidden.
Abnormalities that have been found in eggs purchased for human consumption include:
Chicken eggs are widely used in many types of dishes, both sweet and savory, including manybaked goods. Some of the most common preparation methods includescrambled,fried,poached,hard-boiled, soft-boiled,omelettes, andpickled. They also may be eaten raw, although this is not recommended for people who may be especially susceptible tosalmonellosis, such as the elderly, the infirm, or pregnant women. In addition, the protein in raw eggs is only 51 percentbioavailable, whereas that of a cooked egg is nearer 91 percent bioavailable, meaning the protein of cooked eggs is nearly twice as absorbable as the protein from raw eggs.
As a cooking ingredient, egg yolks are an importantemulsifierin the kitchen, and are also used as a thickener, as incustards.
Thealbumen(egg white) contains protein, but little or nofat, and may be used in cooking separately from the yolk. The proteins in egg white allow it to form foams and aerated dishes. Egg whites may be aerated or whipped to a light, fluffy consistency, and often are used in desserts such asmeringuesandmousse.
Ground eggshells sometimes are used as afood additiveto delivercalcium.Every part of an egg is edible, although the eggshell is generally discarded. Some recipes call for immature or unlaid eggs, which are harvested after the hen is slaughtered or cooked, while still inside the chicken.
Eggs contain multiple proteins that gel at different temperatures within the yolk and the white, and the temperature determines the gelling time. Egg yolk becomes agel, or solidifies, between 61 and 70 °C (142 and 158 °F). Egg white gels at different temperatures: 60 to 73 °C (140 to 163 °F). The white contains exterior albumen which sets at the highest temperature. In practice, in many cooking processes the white gels first because it is exposed to higher temperatures for longer.
Salmonella is killed instantly at 71 °C (160 °F), but also is killed from 54.5 °C (130.1 °F), if held at that temperature for sufficiently long time periods. To avoid the issue of salmonella,eggs may be pasteurizedin-shell at 57 °C (135 °F) for an hour and 15 minutes. Although the white then is slightly milkier, the eggs may be used in normal ways. Whipping for meringue takes significantly longer, but the final volume is virtually the same.
If a boiled egg is overcooked, a greenish ring sometimes appears around the egg yolk due to changes to theironandsulfurcompounds in the egg.It also may occur with an abundance of iron in the cooking water.Overcooking harms the quality of the protein.Chilling an overcooked egg for a few minutes in cold water until it is completely cooled may prevent the greenish ring from forming on the surface of the yolk.
Peeling a cooked egg is easiest when the egg was put into boiling water as opposed to slowly heating the egg from a start in cold water.
In February 2025, scientists published research confirming that periodic cooking of an egg is the best way to preserve the distinct textures of each part of an egg as well as its nutritional value.The method requires alternating between boiling and lukewarm water: two minutes in 100 °C (212 °F) water, two minutes at 30 °C (86 °F), repeated eight times.
Although the age of the egg and the conditions of its storage have a greater influence, the bird's diet affects the flavor of the egg.For example, when a brown-egg chicken breed eatsrapeseed(canola) or soy meals, its intestinal microbes metabolize them into fishy-smellingtriethylamine, which ends up in the egg.The unpredictable diet of free-range hens will produce likewise, unpredictable egg flavors.Duck eggs tend to have a flavor distinct from, but still resembling, chicken eggs.
Eggs may be soaked in mixtures to absorb flavor.Tea eggs, a common snack sold from street-side carts in China, are steeped in a brew from a mixture of various spices, soy sauce, and black tea leaves to give flavor. Hard boiled eggs are cracked slightly before being simmered in the marinade for more flavor, also giving them their marble pattern.
Careful storage of edible eggs is extremely important, as an improperly handled egg may contain elevated levels ofSalmonellabacteriathat may cause severefood poisoning. In the US, eggs are washed. This cleans the shell, but erodes itscuticle.The USDA thus recommends refrigerating eggs to prevent the growth ofSalmonella.
Refrigeration also preserves the taste and texture.In Europe, eggs are not usually washed, and the shells are dirtier, however the cuticle is undamaged, and they do not require refrigeration.In the UK in particular, hens are immunized against salmonella and generally, their eggs are safe for 21 days.
The simplest method to preserve an egg is to treat it withsalt. Salt draws water out ofbacteriaandmolds, which prevents their growth.The Chinesesalted duck eggis made by immersing duck eggs inbrine, or coating them individually with a paste of salt andmudorclay. The eggs stop absorbing salt after approximately a month, having reachedosmotic equilibrium.Their yolks take on an orange-red color and solidify, but the white remains somewhat liquid. These often are boiled before consumption and are served with ricecongee; the yolks are also used inmooncakesand other pastries.
Another method is to makepickled eggs, by boiling them first and immersing them in a mixture ofvinegar, salt, and spices, such asgingerorallspice. Frequently,beetrootjuice is added to impart a red color to the eggs.If the eggs are immersed in it for a few hours, the distinct red, white, and yellow colors may be seen when the eggs are sliced.If marinated for several days or more, the red color will reach the yolk.If the eggs are marinated in the mixture for several weeks or more, the vinegar will dissolve much of the shell'scalcium carbonateand penetrate the egg, making itacidicenough to inhibit the growth of bacteria and molds.Pickled eggs made this way generally keep for a year or more without refrigeration.
Acentury eggor hundred-year-old egg is preserved by coating an egg in a mixture ofclay,wood ash, salt,lime, andricestraw for several weeks to several months, depending on the method of processing. After the process is completed, the yolk becomes a dark green, cream-like substance with a strong odor of sulfur and ammonia, while the white becomes a dark brown, transparent jelly with a comparatively mild, distinct flavor. The transforming agent in a century egg is itsalkalinematerial, which gradually raises thepHof the egg from approximately 9 to 12 or more.This chemical process breaks down some of the complex, flavorless proteins and fats of the yolk into simpler, flavorful ones, which in some way may be thought of as an "inorganic" version offermentation.
Egg yolks and whole eggs store significant amounts ofproteinandcholine.Due to their protein content, theUnited States Department of Agricultureformerly categorized eggs asMeatwithin theFood Guide Pyramid(nowMyPlate).
A 50-gram (1.8 oz)medium/largechicken egg provides approximately 70 kilocalories (290 kJ) of food energy and 6 grams ofprotein.
Eggs (boiled) supply several vitamins and minerals as significant amounts of theDaily Value(DV), including (per 100g)vitamin A(19% DV),riboflavin(42% DV),pantothenic acid(28% DV),vitamin B12(46% DV),choline(60% DV),phosphorus(25% DV),zinc(11% DV) andvitamin D(15% DV).Cooking methods affect the nutritional values of eggs.
The diet of laying hens also may affect the nutritional quality of eggs. For instance, chicken eggs that are especially high inomega-3fatty acidsare produced by feeding hens a diet containingpolyunsaturatedfats from sources such asfish oil,chia seeds, orflaxseeds.Pasture-raised free-range hens, which forage for their own food, also produce eggs that are relatively enriched in omega-3 fatty acids when compared to those of cage-raised chickens.
A 2010 USDA study determined there were no significant differences ofmacronutrientsin various chicken eggs.
Cooked eggs are easier to digest than raw eggs,as well as having a lower risk ofsalmonellosis.
More than half the calories found in eggs come from the fat in the yolk; 50 grams of chicken egg (the contents of an egg just large enough to be classified as "large" in the US, but "medium" in Europe) contains approximately five grams of fat.Saturated fat(palmitic,stearic, andmyristic acids) makes up 27 percent of the fat in an egg.Theegg whiteconsists primarily of water (88 percent) and protein (11 percent), with no cholesterol and 0.2 percent fat.
There is debate over whether egg yolk presents a health risk. Some research suggests dietarycholesterolincreases the ratio of total toHDL cholesteroland, therefore, adversely affects the body's cholesterol profile;whereas other studies show that moderate consumption of eggs, up to one a day, does not appear to increaseheart diseaserisk in healthy individuals.Harold McGeeargues that the cholesterol in the egg yolk is not what causes a problem, because fat (particularly saturated fat) is much more likely to raise cholesterol levels than the consumption of cholesterol.
Studies have shown conflicting results about a possible connection between egg consumption andtype 2 diabetes.
A meta-analysis from 2013 found that eating four eggs per week was associated with a 29 percent increase in the relative risk of developing diabetes.Another meta-analysis from 2013 also supported the idea that egg consumption may lead to an increased incidence of type two diabetes.A 2016 meta-analysis suggested that association of egg consumption with increased risk of incident type 2 diabetes may be restricted to cohort studies from theUnited States.
A 2020 meta-analysis found that there was no overall association between moderate egg consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes and that the risk found in US studies was not found in European or Asian studies.
A 2015 meta-analysis found an association between higher egg consumption (five a week) with increased risk ofbreast cancercompared to no egg consumption.Another meta-analysis found that egg consumption may increaseovarian cancerrisk.
A 2019 meta-analysis found an association between high egg consumption and risk of upper aero-digestive tract cancers in hospital-based case-control studies.
A 2021 review did not find a significant association between egg consumption and breast cancer.A 2021umbrella reviewfound that egg consumption significantly increases the risk of ovarian cancer.
One systematic review and meta-analysis of egg consumption found that higher consumption of eggs (more than 1 egg/day) was associated with a significant reduction in risk of coronary artery disease.Another systematic review and meta-analysis of dietary cholesterol and egg consumption found that egg consumption was associated with an increased all-cause mortality and CVD mortality.These contrary results may be due to somewhat different methods of study selection and the use primarily ofobservational studies, whereconfoundingfactors are not controlled.
A 2018 meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials found that consumption of eggs increases total cholesterol (TC),LDL-CandHDL-Ccompared to no egg-consumption but not to low-egg control diets.In 2020, two meta-analyses found that moderate egg consumption (up to one egg a day) is not associated with an increased cardiovascular disease risk.A 2020 umbrella review concluded that increased egg consumption is not associated with cardiovascular disease risk in the general population.Another umbrella review found no association between egg consumption and cardiovascular disorders.
A 2013 meta-analysis found no association between egg consumption and heart disease or stroke.A 2013 systematic review and meta-analysis found no association between egg consumption and cardiovascular disease or cardiovascular disease mortality, but did find egg consumption of more than once daily increased cardiovascular disease risk 1.69-fold in those with type 2 diabetes mellitus when compared to type 2 diabetics who ate less than one egg per week.Another 2013 meta-analysis found that eating four eggs per week increased the risk of cardiovascular disease by six percent.
Eggs are one of the largest sources ofphosphatidylcholine(lecithin) in the human diet.A study published in the scientific journal,Nature, showed that dietary phosphatidylcholine is digested by bacteria in the gut and eventually converted into the compoundTMAO, a compound linked with increased heart disease.Another study found that type 2 diabetes mellitus and kidney disease also increase TMAO levels and that evidence for a link between TMAO and cardiovascular diseases may be due toconfoundingor reverse causality.
Egg consumption does not increasehypertensionrisk.A 2016 meta-analysis found that consumption of up to one egg a day may contribute to a decreased risk of totalstroke.Two recent meta-analyses found no association between egg intake and risk of stroke.
A 2019 meta-analysis revealed that egg consumption has no significant effect on serum biomarkers ofinflammation.A 2021 review of clinical trials found that egg consumption has beneficial effects on macular pigment optical density and serum lutein.
A health issue associated with eggs is contamination bypathogenicbacteria, such asSalmonella enteritidis. Contamination of eggs with other members of the genusSalmonellawhile exiting a female bird via thecloacamay occur, so care must be taken to prevent the egg shell from becoming contaminated withfecalmatter. In commercial practice in the US, eggs are quickly washed with a sanitizing solution within minutes of being laid. The risk of infection from raw or undercooked eggs is dependent in part upon the sanitary conditions under which the hens are kept.
Health experts advise people to refrigerate washed eggs, use them within two weeks, cook them thoroughly, and never consume raw eggs.As withmeat, containers and surfaces that have been used to process raw eggs should not come in contact with ready-to-eat food.
A study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2002 (Risk Analysis April 2002 22(2):203-18) suggests the problem is not so prevalent in the U.S. as once thought. It showed that of the 69 billion eggs produced annually, only 2.3 million are contaminated withSalmonella—equivalent to just one in every 30,000 eggs—thus showingSalmonellainfection is quite rarely induced by eggs. This has not been the case in other countries, however, whereSalmonella enteritidisandSalmonella typhimuriuminfections due to egg consumption are major concerns.Egg shells act ashermetic sealsthat guard against bacteria entering, but this seal can be broken through improper handling or if laid by unhealthy chickens. Most forms of contamination enter through such weaknesses in the shell. In theUK, theBritish Egg Industry Councilawards the lions stamp to eggs that, among other things, come from hens that have been vaccinated againstSalmonella.
In 2017, authorities blocked millions of eggs from sale in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany because of contamination with the insecticidefipronil.
One of the most commonfood allergiesin infants is eggs.Infants usually have the opportunity to grow out of this allergy during childhood, if exposure is minimized.Allergic reactionsagainst egg white are more common than reactions against egg yolks.In addition to true allergic reactions, some people experience afood intoleranceto egg whites.Food labeling practices in most developed countries now include eggs, egg products, and the processing of foods on equipment that also process foods containing eggs in a special allergen alert section of the ingredients on the labels.
Most commercially farmed chicken eggs intended for human consumption are unfertilized, since the laying hens are kept withoutroosters. Fertile eggs may be eaten, with little nutritional difference when compared to the unfertilized. Fertile eggs will not contain a developedembryo, as refrigeration temperatures inhibit cellular growth for an extended period of time. Sometimes an embryo is allowed to develop, but eaten before hatching as withbalut.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture grades eggs by the interior quality of the egg (seeHaugh unit) and the appearance and condition of the egg shell. Eggs of any quality grade may differ in weight (size). Grade AA and Grade A eggs are best for frying and poaching, where appearance is important.
InAustraliaand theEuropean Union, eggs are graded by the hen raising method,free range,battery caged, etc.
Chicken eggsare graded by sizefor the purpose of sales. Some maxi eggs may have double-yolks and some farms separate out double-yolk eggs for special sale.
Although eggshell color is a largely cosmetic issue, with no effect on egg quality or taste, it is a major issue in production due to regional and national preferences for specific colors, and the results of such preferences on demand. For example, in most regions of theUnited States, chicken eggs generally are white. However, brown eggs are more common in some parts of theNortheastern United States, particularlyNew England, where a television jingle for years proclaimed "brown eggs are local eggs, and local eggs are fresh!".Local chicken breeds, including theRhode Island Red, lay brown eggs. Brown eggs are preferred inChina,Costa Rica,Ireland,France, and theUnited Kingdom. InBrazilandPoland, white chicken eggs are generally regarded as industrial, and brown or reddish ones are preferred. Small farms andsmallholdings, particularly in economically advanced nations, may sell eggs of widely varying colors and sizes, with combinations of white, brown, speckled (red), green, and blue (as laid by certain breeds, including araucanas,heritage skyline, and cream leg bar) eggs in the same box or carton, while the supermarkets at the same time sell mostly eggs from the larger producers, of the color preferred in that nation or region.
These cultural trends have been observed for many years.The New York Timesreported during the Second World War that housewives in Boston preferred brown eggs and those in New York preferred white eggs.In February 1976, theNew Scientistmagazine, in discussing issues of chicken egg color, stated "Housewives are particularly fussy about the colour of their eggs, preferring even to pay more for brown eggs although white eggs are just as good".As a result of these trends, brown eggs are usually more expensive to purchase in regions where white eggs are considered "normal", due to lower production.In France and the United Kingdom, it is very difficult to buy white eggs, with most supermarkets supplying only the more popular brown eggs. By direct contrast, inEgyptit is very hard to source brown eggs, as demand is almost entirely for white ones, with the country's largest supplier describing white eggs as "table eggs" and packaging brown eggs for export.
Research conducted by a French institute in the 1970s demonstrated blue chicken eggs from the Chileanaraucanafowl may be stronger and more resilient to breakage.
Research atNihon University,Japanin 1990 revealed a number of different issues were important to Japanese housewives when deciding which eggs to buy and that color was a distinct factor, with most Japanese housewives preferring the white color.
Egg producers carefully consider cultural issues, as well as commercial ones, when selecting the breed or breeds of chickens used for production, as egg color varies between breeds.Among producers and breeders, brown eggs often are referred to as "tinted", while the speckled eggs preferred by some consumers often are referred to as being "red" in color.
Commercialfactory farmingoperations often involve raising the hens in small, crowded cages, preventing the chickens from engaging in natural behaviors, such as wing-flapping, dust-bathing, scratching, pecking, perching, and nest-building. Such restrictions may lead to pacing andescape behavior.
Many hens confined to battery cages, and some raised in cage-free conditions, aredebeakedto prevent them from harming each other and engaging incannibalism. According to critics of the practice, this can cause hens severe pain to the point where some may refuse to eat and starve to death. Some hens may beforced to moltto increase egg quality and production level after themolting.Molting can be induced by extended food withdrawal, water withdrawal, or controlled lighting programs.
Laying hens often are euthanized when reaching 100 to 130 weeks of age, when their egg productivity starts to decline.Due to modernselective breeding, laying henstrainsdiffer from meat production strains. As male birds of the laying strain do not lay eggs and are not suitable for meat production, they generally are killed soon after they hatch.
Free-range eggsare considered by some advocates to be an acceptable substitute to factory-farmed eggs.Free-rangelaying hens are given outdoor access instead of being contained in crowded cages. Questions regarding the living conditions of free-range hens have been raised in the United States of America, as there is no legal definition or regulations for eggs labeled as free-range in that country.
In the United States, increased public concern foranimal welfarehas pushed various egg producers to promote eggs under a variety of standards. The most widespread standard in use is determined byUnited Egg Producersthrough their voluntary program of certification.The United Egg Producers program includes guidelines regarding housing, food, water, air, living space, beak trimming, molting, handling, and transportation, however, opponents such asThe Humane Societyhave alleged UEP certification is misleading and allows a significant amount of unchecked animal cruelty.Other standards include "Cage Free", "Natural", "Certified Humane", and "Certified Organic". Of these standards, "Certified Humane", which carries requirements for stocking density and cage-free keeping and so on, and "Certified Organic", which requires hens to have outdoor access and to be fed only organic vegetarian feed and so on, are the most stringent.
Effective 1 January 2012, theEuropean Unionbanned conventional battery cages for egg-laying hens, as outlined in EU Directive 1999/74/EC.The EU permits the use of "enriched"furnished cagesthat must meet certain space and amenity requirements. Egg producers in many member states have objected to the new quality standards while in some countries, even furnished cages and family cages are subject to be banned as well. The production standard of the eggs is visible on a mandatoryegg markingcategorization where the EU egg code begins with 3 for caged chicken to 1 for free-range eggs and 0 for organic egg production.
In all methods of egg production, unwanted male chicks are killed at birth during the process of securing a further generation of egg-laying hens.As of June 2023, this practice has been banned in Germany, France, and Italy.Some egg producers have adoptedin-ovo sexing, which first became available in 2018.As of September 2023, five companies have commercially available in-ovo sexing technology, which is used for 15 percent of the European layer population.
A popularEastertradition in some parts of the world is a decoration of hard-boiled eggs (usually by dyeing, but often by spray-painting). A similar tradition ofegg paintingexists in areas of the world influenced by the culture ofPersia. Before the springequinoxin the Persian New Year tradition (calledNorouz), each family member decorates a hard-boiled egg and they set them together in a bowl.
In theNew Testament, eggs are referred to as an example of the kind of gift a child might request from their father, and which would not be denied.
In Northern Europe and North America, Easter eggs may be hidden by adults for children to find in anEaster egg hunt. They may berolledin some traditions.
In Eastern and Central Europe, and parts of England, easter eggs may betapped against each otherto see whose egg breaks first.
Since the sixteenth century, the tradition of adancing eggis held during the feast ofCorpus Christiin Barcelona and otherCatalancities. It consists of a hollow eggshell, positioned over the water jet from a fountain, which causes the eggshell to revolve without falling.
InChina, eggfood fraudin the form of fake chicken eggs made from resin, starch and pigments, for both domestic consumption and exports have reported on several occasions.