Incredible facts shared about the versatile egg

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Eggs, when handled properly, and the chickens who lay them, provide a wealth of nutritional food options.

That was the message of Alice Helton, certified diabetes educator at Mercy Hospital Fort Scott, who also serves as the hospital's family and community education specialist.

Her topic, "the incredible egg," provided some well-known facts and some not so well known.

"There are 200 breeds of chicken," she said.

A list found on the website, mypetchicken.com, rates chickens and their laying ability, with the Chantecler, Delaware, Leghorn, Plymouth Rock, Rhode Island, and Sussex as among those in the very good and excellent egg laying range.

"It takes about 25 hours to produce an egg," said Helton, adding that the most common laying times for hens are around 7 and 11 in the morning.

"They lay eggs 265 days a year," Helton said as she continued on with her facts.

"They need about four pounds of grain to make an egg. The average person eats 250 eggs a year," Helton said.

She noted that a one-pound egg was the largest known.

Eggs are classed by size, from jumbo (greater than 2.5 ounces), to extra large (greater than 2.25 ounces), large (over 2 ounces) and medium (over 1.75), small (greater than 1.5) and peewee (greater than 1.25).

Eggs are 93.7 percent protein and are a wealth of vitamins, with all but vitamin C, she said. The yolk is the source of vitamin D.

A typical egg is around 70-75 calories.

"The color of the egg has to do with the color of the chicken."

While eggs are one of nature's most nutritious and economical foods, it's important to follow safety precautions, said Helton.

Noting that she has survived her own bout of salmonella, which caused a severe case of dehydration, Helton ended her talk with a number of safety tips.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Salmonella, a type of bacterium, can be on both the outside and inside of eggs that appear to be normal, and if the eggs are eaten raw or lightly cooked, the bacterium can cause illness.

The larger the number of Salmonella bacteria present in the egg, the more likely the egg is to cause illness, noted the CDC.

Keeping eggs adequately refrigerated prevents any Salmonella present in the eggs from growing to higher numbers, so eggs should be refrigerated until they are needed.

Cooking reduces the number of bacteria present in an egg; however, a lightly cooked egg with a runny egg white or yolk still poses a greater risk than a thoroughly cooked egg. Lightly cooked egg whites and yolks have both caused outbreaks of infections.

"Eggs should not be more than an hour outside of the refrigerator," said Helton.

"Boiled eggs can stay in the shell for a week.

"When handling eggs, wash your hands frequently."

Also wash all food contact surface areas, counter tops, utensils, dishes and cutting boards, with soap and water after contact with eggs. Disinfect the surfaces with a sanitizing agent such as bleach.

Helton recommended using a separator when cracking eggs as the best way to avoid cross contamination.

"Cook eggs to 160 degrees (and any dishes that contain eggs) and don't do them over easy.

"Keep the eggs refrigerated to at least 40 degrees at all times," she said.

But "don't put eggs in the refrigerator door," as the temperature doesn't stay as cold as the rest of the refrigerator, she said.

Eat eggs promptly after cooking.

"If it floats, don't eat it."

Helton also advised against the common practice, especially around the holidays, of leaving pies and cakes (made with eggs) sitting out.

"Keep them refrigerated."

Follow these precautions and you will get the benefit of a nutritious food, she said.