Finding a perfect egg

Do you know how the perfect egg should look like? Faced with an overwhelming array of options, most of us are led by our eyes.

There is a real diversity: eggs come in coffee-coloured, chalky white and even blue-hued varieties. Leghorns (they produce the majority of the world’s crop of white eggs) have nice white eggs. Silkies (a breed of chicken named for its unique, fluffy plumage) have a distinctive egg that has a slightly tinted shell, a natural gloss, while the barnevelder lays a strong brown shell with brown pigments. South American araucana has an egg that can range from a soft blue to a strong green and even, a bit of pink!

While to the untrained eye, an egg is an egg, Meg Millar, who is is a judge at the Royal Melbourne and Royal Brisbane shows, says they are not all created equal.

“Finding a perfect egg is a real challenge,” says Meg. ”You want a regular shape and colour with a shell that has no defects, or is mottled or have what are called ‘calcium pimples’ on them.”

“I have a perfect little dwarf egg that is round, on my desk, like a marble. It was a little pullet’s egg. Often when they are at the beginning or end of the laying cycle they’ll lay these tiny eggs. Some don’t even have yolks.”

What about the taste? According to a survey commissioned by the AECL in 2006, without packaging guidance, its 617 sample tasters could not distinguish between a free-range, barn-laid or cage eggs.

”There were no significant differences in the overall liking of the three different types of eggs,” survey says. ”However, overall, the cage egg was directionally more preferred.

It appeared as well that consumers will still choose free-range or barn-laid eggs for ethical-moral reasons. However, a premium price will always remain an issue.

”Thus, egg packaging with free-range, barn-laid or organic claims will continue to be popular, as will endorsements such as RSPCA accreditation.”

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