Egg Info...
Our eggs are excellent! We can guarantee this through a variety of quality control processes that operate on our farms and in our packing centres. There's lots to know about the humble egg...
In a class of its own - a Class 'A' Egg
In the UK & EU only Class 'A' eggs are acceptable for retail sale. The egg must have the following qualities:
- A clean Smooth undamaged shell.
- An air space no bigger than 6 millimetres.
- A clear white, gelatinous and free from meat and blood spots.
- A centrally suspended yolk
- No nasty odour.
- Have a clean shell.
- Must NOT contain an embryo
From Jumbo to Small - Egg Sizes
There are standard Egg sizes throughout the E.U. and are in 10g weight bands:
| Jumbo/ VL/ XL | over 73g |
| Large or L | 73g - 63g |
| Medium or M | 63g - 53g |
| Small or S | Under 53g |
The composition of each egg is approximately:
- 31% Yolk
- 58% White
- 11% Shell
How old - Storage
There is a statutory E.U. limit with a 'best before' of 28 days from date of lay however all our eggs are produced to "Lion" code standards. These eggs have a lower limit of 21 days from date of pack and no more than 4 days from pack to lay. This gives our eggs a maximum life of 24 - 25 days. Our eggs usually reach retail stores within two to five days of being laid.
The shell allows an egg to loose moisture, this causes the white of the egg to become slightly runnier, which is caused by proteins denaturing within the egg.
To assist in keeping your eggs fresh after you purchase them it is recommended that they are stored in a fridge or cool larder, this helps maintain eating quality. By keeping them in the kitchen, in direct sunlight in egg baskets etc it will reduce the life and eating quality of the egg.
Eggs should be stored with the vertical point end down (this allows the air cell/sack to be at the top) and if possible kept in their pack. Because the shell is porous we recommend that they are kept away from strong smells such as fish, onion, garlic etc as the egg can absorb these smells causing taints and effecting the eating quality.
What's on the inside - Nutrition
Eggs are a fantastic source of a variety of basic dietary requirements. An egg contains protein, minerals and essential vitamins and can make significant contributions to a healthy diet.
Protein- Eggs are an excellent source of protein for humans as the egg contains all the essential amino acids we require - both the yolk and white (albumen) contain protein. An egg can provide between 12 - 15% of the daily protein requirement for an average person.
Energy - Carbohydrates - With only trace levels of carbohydrate and sugar available an egg will contribute only 3 - 4% (76 k/calories) to the daily diet and no dietary fibre.
Vitamins & Minerals - Eggs are a good source of all B vitamins with significant levels of vitamin A & D and some vitamin E. Only vitamin C is absent from the egg. Eggs are an excellent source of minerals, in particular Iodine and Phosphorus required for Thyroid and bone health, but also Zinc, Calcium Selenium and Iron.
Fat - Around 10% of an eggs composition is fat however only 3% are saturated fats, making eggs a healthy way to get the correct levels of fats you need. Advances in bird nutrition have resulted in the development of methods to increase the levels of healthy Omega 3 fatty acids within the egg. The help to maintain a healthy heart and brain.
Source: Royal Society of Chemistry/ MAFF 1991 The Composition of Foods (5th edition)
| Nutritional Analysis | |
| Weight | 51.6g |
| Water | 38.8g |
| Energy (Kjoules/Kcal) | 316/76 |
| Protein | 6.5g |
| Carbohydrate | Trace |
| Fat | 5.6g |
| Saturated Fatty Acids | 1.6g |
| Monounsaturated Fatty Acids | 1.6g |
| Dietary Fibre | None |
| Minerals & Trace Elements | |
| Sodium | 72mg |
| Potassium | 67mg |
| Calcium | 29mg |
| Phosphorus | 103mg |
| Magnesium | 6.2mg |
| Iron | 1mg |
| Zinc | 0.7mg |
| Copper | 0.04mg |
| Iodine | 27mg |
| Chlorine | 83mg |
| Sulphur | 93mg |
| Selenium | 6mg |
| Vitamins | |
| Vitamin A | 98mg |
| Vitamin D | 0.9mg |
| Vitamin E | 0.57mg |
| Vitamin C | None |
| Thiamine B1 | 0.05mg |
| Riboflavin B2 | 0.24mg |
| Niacin | 1.94mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.06mg |
| Folate | 26mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 1.3mg |
| Biotin | 10mg |
| Pantothenic Acid | 0.91mg |