Look out for the Lion

In 1986 The British Egg Industry Council (BEIC) was set up to look after the egg industry in England, Wales and Scotland.  It is made up of the 11 major groups, associations and busineses that are involved with the egg industry.  The BEIC set up the Lion quality mark in 1998 and this can be seen in the shape of a lion on egg shells and egg boxes for all chickens' eggs.

The Lion mark can only be used by members of the BEIC who have produced eggs to the required standard.  In the UK about 85% of eggs are now produced to this quality.  Before the Lion mark was introduced there was a problem with germs in eggs called salmonella.  This could cause illnesses including upset stomachs and sickness.  In 2004, 28,000 eggs were tested but no salmonella was found so now eggs are both enjoyable and safe to eat.

An egg is a round or oval body laid by the female of many animals e.g. chickens, ducks, turtles and birds.  Most eggs have three main parts.  There is a hard outer shell that protects the inside.  Then there is the egg white called albumen and the yolk called the vitellus.  If you have a boiled egg for breakfast you can see all the parts with the yellow part in the middle being the yolk.

The white part of the egg contains the protein (this gives you energy) but little or no fat.  It is the healthiest part of the egg and can be used on its own to make meringues and mousse.

The BEIC looks after all the eggs produced by chickens.  This ensures that all young chickens have to have an injection that stops them getting the salmonella germs.  They also lay down ways of finding out where our eggs come from and they must have a "best before" stamp on the egg shell and packaging.  There are also strict controls on hygiene; this is the way everything is kept clean and healthy on the farms and where the eggs are packed.

There are lots of ways you can eat chicken eggs.  Such as: fried, scrambled, poached (cooked in water and vinegar), boiled in water, coddled (cooked in a container with water), pickled in vinegar.  They can be eaten raw but this is not recommended for any woman who is expecting a baby. 

If you are cooking eggs make sure you follow these tips:

1) Always buy an egg with the lion mark on it.

2) Keep pets out of the kitchen.

3) Get an adult to help you.

4) Where protective clothing such as an apron.

5) Make sure you read the recipe or cooking instructions.

6) Wash your hands before you start cooking.

7) Tie back any loose hair.

8) Beware of hot pans and boiling liquids such as water or sauces.

9) Turn the handles of pans away from you so you don't knock them.

10) Be clean and tidy when you cook e.g. wipe up spills immediately.

11) Use a teaspoon when tasting foods and never use a finger.

If a boiled egg is over cooked a greenish ring can form round the egg yoke.  This shows the iron or sulphur in the egg or the iron in the water used for cooking.  This does not affect the taste of the egg but is does reduce the quality of the protein.  Sulphur is an essential element for life.

When a chicken egg yolk is first laid it is round and firm.  As the yolk gets older it absorbs more water from the albumen.  This means it stretches and the yolk is flatter when it is broken and put into a pan.  This is a good way to find out how fresh an egg is.  If the yolk is deep and stands above the white it is much fresher than a yolk that is wider and flatter.

There are different ways of sizing eggs across the world.  In Europe the sizes are:  Very large weighing over 73g; Large between 63 and 73 g: Medium from 53 to 63g: and small under 53g.

There are two remaining questions to answer.  The first is how do you tell if an egg is raw or cooked when it is still in its shell?  The answer is a boiled egg will spin round while a raw egg will stop spinning after just three turns.  The last question is more difficult and has been discussed by lots of people for a very long term.  The question is - Which came first, the chicken or the egg?  What do you think the answer is, have a think and discuss it with an adult or your teacher.  It is very difficult to know the true answer.

Date

1/1/2008