You're in the grocery store. The kids are screaming for that brightly colored package of candy, but you just need to get some eggs and get home to make supper.
Do you take the time to look at labels? Chances are, you grab the most inexpensive eggs in the size you need, open it to make sure none of the eggs are cracked or broken, and make a hasty retreat to the checkout.
And that's okay. Because it truly doesn't matter if they're cage-free or conventionally raised chickens. No matter what production method is used, your eggs will be a healthy and safe choice for your family.
Those labels can be confusing because they include both nutrition and production methods. And they aren't the same thing.
Let's break down some of the common labels, which can be confusing.
Omega-3 Enriched means ingredients like flaxseed and fish oils are added to the hen's diet to increase omega-3 content.
While an enriched egg may have additional nutrients like Omega-3 fatty acid, these eggs still have the same calories, protein and total fat of conventional eggs.
Organic means hens are not in cages and are raised according to the USDA's National Organic Program guidelines.
Free-range means hens are raised with access to the outdoors.
Cage-free means hens are allowed to roam in open areas, although it might not be outdoors.
Organic, free-range and cage-free are all production methods that don't impact the nutritive value of the eggs.
Each production method has its pros and cons, but to maintain enough egg production for national and global demand and keep egg prices lower, conventional cage systems are still needed in the egg production business.
But what about salmonella?
You might be surprised to learn the number of salmonellosis incidents related to eggs has decreased substantially since the 1990s, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).1 Many factors contributed to this change, but consumer education about eating raw or undercooked eggs and opting for pasteurized eggs in food production were some of the contributing factors to the decrease.
Technology makes it more sustainable
No matter what production method you prefer in your egg buying, you can rest easy knowing that farmers are continually looking for ways to do more with less. According to the United Egg Producers website, egg farmers are doing just that. If egg farmers of today were still using 1960s technology, it would take 78 million more hens, 1.3 million more acres of corn and 1.8 million more acres of soybeans.
Learn more about the sustainability of our nation's egg farmers here.
1Patrick ME, Adcock PM, Gomez TM, Altekruse SF, Holland BH, Tauxe RV, et al. Salmonella Enteritidis Infections, United States, 1985–1999. Emerg Infect Dis. 2004;10(1):1-7. https://dx.doi.org/10.3201/eid1001.020572