https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/327423#egg-classification
are you bothered if you eat eggs that come from chickens who eat insects ?
What to know about free-range eggs
Many egg cartons carry the free-range label. While this does mean that the hens have some access to roaming and possibly outdoor space, there are no uniform standards as to what constitutes free-range eggs.
Keep reading to learn more about the various egg certification schemes, how these schemes classify eggs, and the benefits of free-range eggs both for the health of people and for the chickens.
Egg Classification
In the United States, regulators classify eggs according to grade, color, production methods, and size.
Egg grades:
Free-range eggs come from chickens that have some degree of access to outside space.
Regulators classify eggs as grade AA, A, or B depending on the quality of the product and the appearance and condition of the shell.
Egg cartons bearing a US Department of Agriculture (USDA) shield means that regulators have checked the eggs for quality and weight.
Farmers pay a fee to join this voluntary scheme.
Egg color:
The breed of the chicken will determine the color of the eggshell. Typically, white hens produce white eggs, and brown hens lay brown-shelled eggs.
Production method:
Free-range means hens have adequate space to move around inside their houses and have access to an outdoor space where they can roam freely. It is just one example of the different egg production methods.
Others include:
are you bothered if you eat eggs that come from chickens who eat insects ?
What to know about free-range eggs
- Egg Classification
- Defining free-range
- Certification
- Availability and cost
- Nutritional differences
- Benefits for chickens
- Summary
Many egg cartons carry the free-range label. While this does mean that the hens have some access to roaming and possibly outdoor space, there are no uniform standards as to what constitutes free-range eggs.
Keep reading to learn more about the various egg certification schemes, how these schemes classify eggs, and the benefits of free-range eggs both for the health of people and for the chickens.
Egg Classification
In the United States, regulators classify eggs according to grade, color, production methods, and size.
Egg grades:
Free-range eggs come from chickens that have some degree of access to outside space.
Regulators classify eggs as grade AA, A, or B depending on the quality of the product and the appearance and condition of the shell.
Egg cartons bearing a US Department of Agriculture (USDA) shield means that regulators have checked the eggs for quality and weight.
Farmers pay a fee to join this voluntary scheme.
Egg color:
The breed of the chicken will determine the color of the eggshell. Typically, white hens produce white eggs, and brown hens lay brown-shelled eggs.
Production method:
Free-range means hens have adequate space to move around inside their houses and have access to an outdoor space where they can roam freely. It is just one example of the different egg production methods.
Others include:
- Conventional cage eggs: This refers to the intensive farming method whereby eggs come from hens predominately living in cages.
- Cage-free eggs: Hens are free to roam inside barns, but do not have access to outdoor space.
- Organic eggs: Organic eggs may carry the USDA Certified Organic label. This means farmers feed and house the hens according to USDA’s organic standards. The hens eat a vegetarian diet that is free from pesticides and antibiotics. They also have access to the outdoors.
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