Experiment in the kitchen – I tried eggs marked differently from the store, even one got mad after trying one of them

So this time we will have four different categories of eggs: ‘0’ organic hens, ‘1’ free range hens, ‘2’ littered eggs, ‘3’ caged hen eggs.

Know: what do the letters and numbers mean on the egg packet and the eggs themselves?

Class A eggs: the shell and skin underneath are normal, clean and undamaged; air gap – no more than 6mm high, stationary; protein: clean, transparent, gelatinous, without foreign particles; yolk – a shadow of blurred contours visible when illuminated, does not deviate significantly from the center of the egg when it rotates, no foreign particles; germ cell – undeveloped; egg odor – no strange odor. Class B eggs shall be considered not to meet the requirements for Class A eggs.

Class A eggs are subdivided into weight categories: XL – very large (73 g and more); L – large (63-73 g); M – medium (53-63 g); S – small (up to 53 g). Weight categories must be marked on the bucket packaging. Eggs of different sizes are also available. Only the information “eggs of different sizes” should appear on the package.

0 means that the hens are raised organically (kept in small groups, fed with feed grown only with natural additives).

one means that the laying hens were kept free (farm-raised hens that roam freely in the field).

two means that the laying hens were kept in the litter (free-range hens in chicken coops, farms).

3 indicates that the laying hens were kept in cages.

The second marker indicates the country where the laying hens are housed. Chicken eggs placed in Lithuania will be marked LT. Eggs marked LV (Latvia) or PL (Poland) can often be found in Lithuanian supermarkets.

The third part of the code indicates the veterinary authorization number of the hen house, which means that the farm is under the control of the competent authority.

Experiment: boiled eggs

Eggs of the four quality parameters were found in one of the stores. 10 units of caged Polish eggs cost 0.99 euros, 10 pieces of Latvian eggs kept in bed cost 1.49 euros, 10 free-range hens Polish eggs cost 1.99 euros, 8 units of certified organic Polish eggs cost 2.39 euros .

The objective of the experiment is to compare flavor, color, texture and aromatic properties. All eggs are boiled at the same time: 5 minutes. Why cook? This way, the heat-treated eggs won’t affect the flavor of the oil, like frying them in a pan. In addition, it makes it easier to treat them on equal terms.

Home cooking test results:

Organic chicken egg:

Flavor: pleasant, smooth taste

Smell: soft, smooth, no strange odors.

Color: pale yellowish yolk

Texture: soft

Free-range chicken egg:

Flavor: mild, typical

Odor: unpleasant specific odor

Color: the brightest of all eggs, orange

Texture: stronger texture than organic egg

A chicken egg is kept in the sand.

Taste: pleasant taste

Odor: normal, faint, free of strange odors.

Color: same as an organic egg

Texture: more rigid, mealy texture

A chicken egg is kept in cages.

Taste: medium strength, the yolk has a bitter aftertaste in the mouth, the balance between the yolk and the proteins – normal

Odor: unpleasant odor

Color: Slightly brighter than an organic, sandy egg.

Texture: normal

Summary of the experiment:

• The main thing when eating a type 3 egg was the quality of the throat, just think about the conditions in which it was placed in the hen house. Knowing that chickens are kept in cages in dire conditions infuriates them and they can hardly dare to taste such an egg.

• So coincidentally, the brightest yolk had the most specific, even spicy, egg odor.

• In my opinion 5 minutes for eggs is too short if people like to eat hard boiled eggs.

Encourage the responsible choice of eggs

According to the animal rights organization “Empty Cages”, it is important to know the conditions in which we buy eggs from hens raised by marking the eggs with the numbers 3, 2, 1 or 0.

It is not uncommon for egg packages to contain misleading information on the package. In stores we can find not only “rustic” eggs really brought from caged hen houses, but also eggs marked with the number 3, packed in “packaged hens” or eggs from another housing system.

It is true that in recent years, especially before Easter, more and more chicken eggs of the worst standards are being imported into Lithuania and kept in unenriched cages. The only marking that helps to distinguish these eggs are the words ‘Non-CE Standard’ on the packaging of the eggs, which means that the eggs come from farms where the housing conditions of the hens do not meet the requirements of the European Union. . However, such an inscription on the egg packets is not bright enough and not everyone understands.

When choosing eggs, we encourage you to take special care to always check the egg number, which indicates the storage conditions of the hens, and the country of origin, and if you notice misleading packaging, notify the State Service of Food and Veterinary.

According to the organization “Empty Cages”, the cheapest eggs come from poultry farms, where chickens suffer the most. Although the cages used in Lithuania have been improved, the hens cover a little more than the area of ​​an A4 sheet.