Cage-free and free-range designations do not require certification.
Consumers look for information about animal welfare, food safety and nutritional value as they shop for meat, eggs and dairy foods. To help communicate with customers and market specialty products, some egg farmers label cartons with information about the way the chickens were raised. These labels help provide some information about the eggs inside, but can be confusing for consumers who don't understand the designations. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Growing Conditions
As the name implies, cage-free eggs are produced by chickens that do not live in cages. These chickens are not required to have access to the outdoors, but are free to roam their living space. Though no cages are involved, chickens may still be somewhat crowded, depending on the producer. Free-range eggs come from chickens that are able to go outside for some amount of time, and do not live in cages. As with cage-free eggs, these chickens are free to roam and spread their wings in their living space.
Food Safety
The cage-free and free-range labels do not imply anything about the safety of the eggs. Any kind of egg can be contaminated with pathogens, including salmonella. Even purchasing organic eggs does not guarantee the eggs are safer. The only way to ensure your eggs are safe to eat is to keep them refrigerated, eat them while they're fresh and heat them to 145 F before eating. Also, practice good hygiene by washing your hands, utensils and countertops after handling raw eggs to avoid cross-contamination.
Nutritional Value
Cage-free and free-range labels do not promise a more nutritious egg. The only way to improve the nutritional value of an egg is to improve or supplement the diet of the egg-laying chickens. For example, eggs enriched with omega-3 come from chickens fed a high level of the nutrient.
Other Labels
Other labels that appear on egg cartons include organic, vegetarian and pasteurized. Organic eggs are certified to come from growth-hormone-free chickens that are fed organic feed that is free of chemicals. Vegetarian eggs come from chickens that are not fed animal by-products. Pasteurized shell eggs are gently heated to temperatures that kill salmonella and then cooled. These eggs are ideal for ice creams, desserts and dressings that require raw eggs.
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