Organic eggs sunny side up

Have you ever experienced difficulty obtaining organically certified hen’s eggs? From the farmer’s perspective, Jesse Laflamme concedes that filling demand throughout the year can be challenging. Based in New Hampshire, he works alongside his father Gerry to produce Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs. Jesse points out that each egg brought to market must be planned for at least eight months in advance. With the high cost of organic grain to factor, there’s little margin for error. He knows of organic egg farmers who miscalculated their growth potential and ended up with surplus eggs which could not be sold to recoup costs. While subject to a cyclical demand, organic egg farms like Pete and Gerry’s continue to provide consumers with premium product choices and a clear alternative to the questionable practices of conventional egg producers.

During the eighties, an emphasis on reducing daily cholesterol intake caused egg consumption to decrease in most urban regions. The relationship between dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol has now been re-evaluated with the conclusion that genetic and lifestyle factors assume a greater influence along with the intake of saturated fats. As a consequence more nutritionists are recommending eggs as an important source of protein, vitamins, and minerals.

Since the negative eighties, there have been many studies focusing on the positive health benefits of moderate egg consumption. These include the provision of nutrients like choline and biotin which support nervous system functioning and may be protective against Alzheimer’s disease and age related cognitive decline.

Overwhelmed with choice

Before purchasing a carton of commercially produced hen eggs, the modern consumer must negotiate a confusing array of descriptions and labels, many of them designed to conceal the true nature of their production. There are barn eggs, cage eggs, free-range eggs, Omega 3 eggs, vegetarian eggs, and organically certified eggs. Most of them are available in a range of sizes such as medium, large, extra large and jumbo eggs.

Descriptions like omega 3 and vegetarian are used to emphasise some aspect of the hen’s diet. In the case of omega 3 the diet is usually supplemented with flaxseed meal or oil while vegetarian eggs suggest that no rendered or animal proteins are included. Dietary descriptions like these do not provide the consumer with additional information regarding the type of housing, and in some cases the hens will be caged. Barn laid is a confusing description which suggests the hens are uncaged. In all likelihood, the birds will be cramped inside sheds with no access to outdoor runs. Free-range eggs are laid by hens with the freedom to forage outdoors. While the ability to forage outdoors is highly desirable, these hens are usually provided with a supplementary diet of non-organic chicken pellets. This exposes them to a potential range of pesticide and agricultural chemical contaminants.

Certified organic eggs

Organic standards for egg production specify the types of feed, accommodation, and living conditions which are suitable for laying hens. While healthy hens require shelter for security and protection against the elements, they also benefit from the freedom to scratch and forage naturally outdoors. A clean, pollution free range provides a suitably varied natural diet, one that is rich in essential vitamins, minerals, and trace elements.

To prevent the accumulation of pesticide and other agricultural chemicals, any supplementary feeds must be obtained from organically certified growers. Flock sizes are usually contained to one thousand birds or fewer, although the notion of this arbitrary limit has stirred controversy between various competing certification authorities.

In order to pass their inspections, organic egg producers must demonstrate commitment to the welfare and wellbeing of their hens. This includes the provision for humane culling of birds affected by parasites, skin and moulting disorders, or beak problems which disrupt normal feeding.

The consequence of a superior diet and lifestyle for these hens is most evident in the texture, taste, and colour of the eggs. To start with, the shell should be consistently thick, smooth, and bright in appearance. Once opened, the raw yolks glisten with a rich, warm colour, while the whites appear firm and clear. Eggs of this quality are welcome in most kitchens, they effectively bind raw ingredients and provide the superior body and support essential for traditionally baked soufflé, omelette, cakes, muffins, and meringue.

Battery hen eggs

In stark contrast to hens raised according to organic standards, battery hens are imprisoned in cramped wire cages stacked row upon row inside overheated hangars. These hangars routinely accommodate several thousand birds at any given time. Stressed and crowded birds peck at each other. To limit the capacity for hens to attach each other, hot wire guillotines are used to remove a third of each hen’s beak. During this “de-beaking” process, a number of hens die of shock.

The productivity of battery hens is regulated by a regime of twenty four hour lighting and carefully measured quantities of protein rich feed, which is sometimes supplemented with antibiotics, colouring agents, and synthetic hormones. The existence of these birds can only be imagined as an extreme vision of cruelty and suffering.

A direct consequence of maintaining large numbers of birds in such unnatural conditions is the increased levels of stress, illness, and disease. Salmonella is a dangerous pathogen, one which is frequently responsible for outbreaks of food poisoning. It was originally a concern restricted to chicken meats, but now includes caged eggs. In the worst-case scenario, salmonella pathogens have a capacity to infect the ovaries of laying hens. In response to numerous incidents of food poisoning, the handling regulations for eggs have been improved to include mandatory items such as refrigerated transportation. While this has reduced some of the risk, it misses the original source of the problem.

At present, some egg producers are able to continue their operations despite evidence of salmonella infection within their flocks. Instead of supplying their fresh eggs to discount supermarkets and chain stores, there are opportunities to enter the growing market for low-grade bulk eggs. These are processed within industrial size vats which shell, filter, and pasteurise as many as fifty thousand eggs each hour. Packaged into standard volumes, the treated eggs are widely used in catering kitchens and for industrial manufacturing of cakes, biscuits, frozen foods, mayonnaise, and protein supplements.

Sourcing quality eggs

Organically certified eggs can be ordered through most whole food suppliers, fresh food distributors, and health food stores. They are often stacked alongside the cage eggs in supermarkets and convenience stores. This is a practice which should be discouraged since there is always the potential for these products to become mixed together.

Consumers should remember that eggshells are porous and will not necessarily protect eggs from harmful bacteria.

Farmers markets have become very popular and there are usually plenty of good quality eggs available. Not all of them will be organically certified, but it is usually possible to get some idea about their quality by speaking with vendors. Fresh eggs purchased from markets are likely to be randomly sized and speckled with dirt and manure, which is often a shock to those familiar with commercially produced eggs since these are generally washed and graded prior to packing.

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Published on June 7th, 2007.
Filed in sub-topic, Dairy & Eggs.