Eggland's Best Eggs

MARY HILLAS 11 Aug, 02:15 PM

I AM A REGULAR PURCHASER OF YOUR EGGS.
YESTERDAY I CRACKED FOUR EGGS AND FOUND THAT TWO OF THE EGG YOLKS FROM TWO CARTONS WERE SQUARE IN SHAPE. ARE SUCH EGGS SAFE TO CONSUME OR ARE THEY SPOILED. I HAVE NEVER SEEN SQUARE EGG YOLKS BEFORE. PLEASE RESPONS. THANK.

Carl 27 Sep, 01:48 PM

You do a great job Bart!

Bart Slaugh 17 Dec, 09:37 AM

Hello Mary,

Thank you for visiting the Eggland's Best site. "The Avian Egg" indicates that abnormal yolk shapes are the result of variations in strength of the vitelline membrane that surrounds the yolk. Weaker parts of the membrane allow the yolk to bulge out to form the corners of the square. These formations are very rare and can be heart-shaped, U-shaped, triangular, etc. It is possible that a certain hen always produces yolks in this unusual shape. This abnormality would not affect the safety of the eggs.

Bart Slaugh 17 Dec, 09:39 AM

Thank you Carl!

Carolyn 28 Dec, 07:00 AM

We love EB eggs at our house and have been using them for several years. The brown cage-free eggs recently became available at our local grocery and we find that they taste even better than the white eggs. The last few dozen we have purchased, however, seem to have small brown spots on the yolks, and we have had several containing blood. I always discard the eggs with blood, but are the eggs with the brown spots on the yolk and in the white surrounding the yolk safe to eat? What causes this to happen?

marion nicholson 10 Jan, 07:09 PM

I wanted to let you know how disappointed i was to find a bloody egg in a carton I bought this week. I will not buy your eggs again. the number on the carton was E P1194. It was purchased in the Pittsburgh area at Giant Eagle.

Dwana Coleman 12 Feb, 07:29 PM

are there any egg producers in South Georgia?? I have a perfect farm and it is family ran and operated. I am also interested in "organic" eggs. . thanks

Bart Slaugh 17 Mar, 11:20 AM

Carolyn,

Thank you for sharing your comments regarding Eggland’s Best Cage Free eggs. We are glad that you enjoy the great taste. About 25-30% of brown eggs, irrespective of brand, typically have what are referred to as pigment or protein spots next to the yolk or floating in the albumen. If you look very closely at white eggs, you will see that they have similar particles of protein floating around, but the hens lack the brown pigment in their system that combines with the protein to make them stand out. The spots are not an indication of fertility and they do not contain any blood cells, as would a true blood spot. The spots can be removed with the tip of a knife, if preferred, but they are also perfectly safe to leave in there. The red-colored blood spots are also safe, but most people prefer to discard bloodspot eggs. It is difficult to detect interior defects when shining a candling light through a brown-shelled egg, so bloodspots are also more frequently found by consumers in brown eggs than whites. There is probably a 1 in 3000 chance of finding a blood spot in a white egg and 1 in 1000 chance in a brown egg.

The American Egg Board Eggcyclopedia provides the following information regarding blood spots:

“Blood spots: Occasionally found on an egg yolk. These tiny spots do not indicate a fertilized egg. Instead, they are caused by the rupture of a blood vessel on the yolk surface during formation of the egg or by a similar accident in the wall of the oviduct. Mass candling methods reveal most eggs with blood and those eggs are removed. However, even with mass scanners, it’s impossible to catch them all. Both chemically and nutritionally, eggs with blood spots are fit to eat. You can remove the spot with the tip of a knife, if you wish.”

Bart

Bart Slaugh 17 Mar, 11:38 AM

Marion,

Thank you for bringing this quality concern to our attention. We are sorry to hear that a bloodspot egg passed undetected by our candler and also made it through our zero-tolerance USDA grading specification for blood spots (as compared to a 0.3% tolerance for regular generic eggs). Our processing plants make every effort to detect and remove bloodspot eggs, but as is stated in the American Egg Board Eggcyclopedia, "Mass candling methods reveal most eggs with blood and those eggs are removed. However, even with mass scanners, it’s impossible to catch them all." We sincerely apologize that one made it into the carton you purchased.

Bart

Bart Slaugh 17 Mar, 11:45 AM

Dwana,

Thank you for your interest in producing eggs for Eggland's Best. Please give me a call at 800-922-3447 to discuss.

Thanks!

Bart

Abby 29 Apr, 09:10 AM

I too will no longer buy your eggs. Although you cite a 0% tolerance policy on blood-spots, they are always present in at LEAST half of the eggs in my carton. Throwing away half of a carton of eggs is incredibly wasteful, especially in this economy. Other companies who also sell organic, cage-free brown eggs do not seem to have this problem. I've come across a few blood spots in other brands, but it's the exception, not the rule. I'm truly disappointed in your quality control department.

Bart Slaugh 4 May, 08:20 AM

Abby,

Thank you for sharing your comments regarding inclusions in brown eggs. Brown eggs can have blood spots and protein spots (sometimes called meat spots) inside. Blood spots are present in about 5-6% of brown eggs and protein spots occur in around 1/3 of brown eggs, depending on strain of hen (present in up to 2/3 of eggs from non-commercial heavy breeds), age, season of the year (most prevalent in March and April), diet, etc. This information comes from published literature and has nothing to do with the hens being on the Eggland's Best program or not. Blood spots are generally confined to the yolk of the egg. They are often seen as a streak across the yolk, rather than a spot. Protein spots are particles of thick albumen protein that are white in white eggs and are rarely noticed, but are brown in brown eggs (same pigment as on the surface of the shell) and are readily visible. They are usually about the size of a wheat kernel, but can be as small as a ground pepper or as large as a lima bean. Protein spots are usually found floating in the egg white (albumen) or are attached to the chalaza (white protein strands attached to the yolk) It is very difficult to detect blood or protein spots when shining a candling light through a brown shell, especially if the shell is very dark brown. Blood spots can be a little easier to detect.

Both the Orthodox Union and Kosher Overseers provide information on inclusions in brown eggs, since they are so common.

Bart

dyl 6 Jun, 04:12 PM

We just recently began buying your eggs. Perhaps 3 months ago. Up to now we have bought 3 cartoons eggs at different times. First carton had 4 broken eggs. Second time 3 broken eggs. 3rd time 4 more cracked eggs. That equals out to 12 out of 36 eggs cracked, not a good average. Before we buy we always open carton to check for cracked eggs but cracks are mainly on bottom and not visible until they are removed. So we are sorry to say we will no longer purchase your product

Bart Slaugh 8 Jun, 08:28 AM

Hello Dyl,

Thank you for bringing this quality issue to our attention. We sincerely apologize for the disappointing condition of our product. Consumer satisfaction is very important to us and I would appreciate the opportunity to discuss this with you further to ensure an immediate resolution. Please give me a call at 800-922-3447 or e-mail bslaugh@eggland.com. We would like to follow up on this issue as quickly as possible and would greatly appreciate knowing the name and location of the store where the eggs were purchased, as well as the product code information printed on the end of the carton by the sell-by date. We know from the consistently positive results from our retail quality surveys that what you have observed is not consistent with the usual condition of our products. We will do all we can to ensure that excellent quality eggs are consistently available.

We apologize again for this occurrence and look forward to your call.

Bart

Aly 10 Jun, 02:36 PM

If you're mad about broken eggs, maybe you should get smart and check the carton before you buy! How do you know that it's the company's fault, and not some 16 year old stockboy at your supermarket that dropped them? You do realize that those eggs probably go through dozens of hands after they leave the company? You may have even broken the eggs yourself while transporting them to your home!
I came here with concerns about occasional pigmentation in my eggs, because I am a very picky eater. I appreciate the information available in this forum, as it has answered my questions.

Kim 24 Jun, 12:31 PM

Hi,

I too loved Eggland's quality until yes it happened to me. Not blood spots but a egg full of blood! I have never seen anything so gross in all of my life. Not a spot but full of blood.

Bart Slaugh 26 Jun, 11:01 AM

Kim,

I am very sorry to hear that you encountered a blood-filled egg. I would appreciate it if you would give me a call to discuss this with you (800-922-3447). Blood-filled eggs (caused by a ruptured blood vessel within the hen) are even more rare than blood spot eggs, but they are much more difficult to detect. In the candling process, a light is shone through the shell. If the candler sees the darkness of a bloodspot casting a shadow through the shell, then the egg is discarded. With a blood-filled egg, there is no contrasting dark/light image. The egg would likely just pass by the candler and would appear to be an egg with a thicker than average shell that did not allow much light to pass through. Such a defect would be especially difficult to detect in a brown-shelled egg.

We sincerely apologize for this occurrence and hope to receive a call from you.

Bart

Vicki 12 Aug, 11:39 AM

Hi, I love your eggland white eggs. Last week I was making blueberry pancakes for my family and I needed to use 3 eggs. I had already put the mixture in the bowl and the last egg was filled with blood and my daughter and I haven't been able to eat your eggs since then. The eggs were bought a Sam's in Tulsa, OKlahoma. The numbers on the carton were P1867C 1901 3U Sell by date Aug 07/09. I guess it taught me a lesson to put the eggs in a clear container before adding them to the mixture. I lost the mix and the blueberries I had bought. I just thought paying extra for your egg's I would avoid this problem. I guess it happens with all egg's.

Barbara Lacy 16 Aug, 09:50 AM

Are all your egg products produced here in the United States? I have heard othewise.

Bart Slaugh 17 Aug, 05:07 AM

Vicki,

Thank you for visiting the Eggland's Best blog site and for bringing a quality concern to our awareness. We sincerely apologize for the presence of a blood-filled egg in one of our cartons and for the loss of your ingredients. The egg should have been detected in the candling process and discarded. However, it is considerably more difficult to detect a blood-filled egg than a bloodspot egg. As noted by the American Egg Board, even with electronic detectors, it is impossible to catch all defective eggs, so it is a good idea as you mentioned to break eggs into a dish prior to combining with other eggs or ingredients. Thank you for providing the carton code information. We have notified the producer and we are confident that they will do all they can to prevent recurrence of the problem. Please contact me at 800-922-3447 to discuss this further. We apologize again for this occurrence.

Bart

Bart Slaugh 17 Aug, 05:12 AM

Barbara,

Thank you for your inquiry. We can assure you that all Eggland's Best eggs are produced in the United States. We have egg producers all across the US in an effort to provide eggs in each area that are as local as possible. You can read the fine print on the back edge of the carton to locate the source of the eggs.

Bart

J. Montgomery 15 Oct, 02:38 PM

Thank you for the Organic eggs. Can you confirm that they are GMO free?

Bart Slaugh 16 Oct, 04:16 PM

J. Montgomery,

Thank your for visiting the Eggland's Best site. GMO-free status is a basic part of all organic certification, so we can indeed confirm that all of our organic eggs are produced from GMO-free feed.

Bart

Robert 4 Nov, 03:33 PM

Hi in regard to j. montgomery's last question concerning GMO animal feeds being used in Eggsland's Best eggs:

I along with many scientists have serious concerns about the safety of genetically modified corn, soy and canola grown on millions of acres now in the USA. I am concerned about the questionable "cell invasion technology" "BT baceteria" and "suicide genes" inherent in the genetic manipulation of plants to produce higher yields and higher profits to corporate agribusinesses...

These gmos DO go into supply chain animal feeds as well as channels for human consumption. Although they are generally recognized as safe, (GRAS) by the FDA... GMOS have caused deaths, allergic shock and high white blood cell counts/immunodeficiencies in humans..

This has been documented during the 1993-1994 Starlink taco bell taco shell recall, and the recent L-Tryptophan deaths from genetically altered l-trytophan supplements.

I would greatly appreciate if you could define your company position on genetically modified organisms?

1. Are gmo feeds used in ANY of your products? And if so, which ones? Are the white eggs produced from GMO-fed hens?

2. Are your animal feeds tested for gmo contamination and cross pollenation to prevent gmos from getting into your flagship product, the certified organic brown eggs?

3. Could you comment on the recent YouTube video documenting animal cruelty towards caged hens at Turner Farms Maine, an Egglands Best production facility?

The video found here:

http://exceptionmag.com/politics/advocacy/000559/video-brought-down-quality-egg-turner-maine

Even though I grew up on local farm raised free range eggs, like most americans i have become accustomed to eating the caged-white variety.

I now have some serious concerns about the way were producing our food in this sountry as depicted in the recent Mcdonalds lawsuit documentary " Mclibel" mainly in regard to consuming meat and eggs that were fed GM corn and GM soy animal feeds.

Also the cruelty used to generate the mass produced eggs laid from caged hens is also a concern for me.

What steps since April 2009 have been taken to prevent Quality Egg suppliers from getting into Egglands Best Eggs?

I have purchased your white vegetarian fed eggs at my local store and if they are GMO, I will need to switch to the organic brown eggs. But I need to know if the EB feeds are tested to ensure your cage-free eggs are in fact, GMO free?

Thank you for your consideration in this matter.

Bart Slaugh 9 Nov, 04:56 PM

Robert,

Thank you for visiting the Eggland’s Best blog. For organic rations, we follow USDA National Organic Program organic requirements that feed must be GMO-free. For other feed, we use high-quality grains that may or may not have GMO origin. The following statement from the egg industry would be applicable to Eggland’s Best hens, feed, and eggs:

“Eggs are not a ‘genetically modified (GM)’ food. This includes shell eggs and eggs used for processed egg products. Only traditional breeding techniques are used to produce laying hens in the U. S.; neither chickens nor eggs are modified by genetic engineering. Even when a laying hen eats genetically engineered feed, any products unique to genetic engineering are destroyed by the digestive processes of the hen. Scientific research has confirmed that none of the genetically engineered materials are passed into the egg.”

Eggland’s Best has never had a relationship with Quality Egg of New England, although one of our producers, Radlo Foods, was affiliated. Following the incident you referred to, Eggland’s Best sent a letter of termination to Radlo Foods, our franchisee producing and processing Classic Brown eggs in Maine, in April 2009 following thorough investigation that determined that Radlo’s hen management contractor was not in compliance with our strict animal welfare standards. Eggland’s Best upholds the termination agreement with Radlo, and continues to ship all Classic Brown eggs to New England from other locations. Eggland’s Best White, Cage Free and Organic eggs have never been involved in this matter. Eggland’s Best holds its franchisee egg producers to the highest animal welfare standards and regulations. All production facilities are audited on an ongoing basis to ensure that hens are healthy and have sufficient space, light, fresh ventilation, water, feed and are protected from injury. All processing facilities are USDA monitored for compliance with specifications stricter than the rest of the egg industry. We have a truly comprehensive program to help ensure the best of health and safety for the hens as well as the egg consumers.

Bart

steven glenn 12 Nov, 09:09 AM

THERE IS STILL A HUGE RISK IN EATING YOUR EGGS RAW. EGGLANDS ISN'T IMMUNE TO SALMONILLA. THE COMPANY NEVER STATES NOT TO CONSUME EGGS RAW. VERY DANGEROUS !!!!

Bart Slaugh 13 Nov, 09:01 AM

Steven,

Thank you for sharing your comments. Every Eggland's Best carton states, "Safe Handling Instructions: To prevent illness from bacteria: Keep eggs refrigerated, cook eggs until yolks are firm, and cook foods containing eggs thoroughly." I am not aware of anything on our web site that contradicts this statement. We have a very comprehensive food safety quality assurance program involving extensive testing and vaccination, but it was never our intent that this would make it acceptable to consume our eggs raw.

Bart

Lina 11 Dec, 10:53 PM

Wow, i'm a vegetarian, but after hearing about blood in eggs, i think i'm done with eggs.

Bart Slaugh 15 Dec, 09:02 AM

Lina,

Thank you for visiting the Eggland's Best site and for posting your comment. I am guessing from your comment that you have been using eggs all of your life and have just heard about the possibility of eggs having blood in them. This would be indicative of how rare of occurrence it is. You could very well use eggs for the rest of your life and never see anything unusual in them. However, as noted by the American Egg Board, even with electronic detectors it is impossible to catch all defective eggs, so it is a good idea to break eggs into a dish for inspection prior to use. One of the best ways to avoid encountering interior defects is to use white eggs in preference to browns. Since Eggland’s Best eggs are kosher, USDA uses a zero tolerance for blood spots in their grading, as compared to 0.5% tolerance in regular eggs. Eggs have a lot of nutrients that can contribute significantly to a vegetarian diet, so we hope you do not miss out on nature’s nutrient masterpiece. With Eggland’s Best, nature’s best food is made even better.

Bart

lea 10 Jan, 03:55 PM

""Scientific research has confirmed that none of the genetically engineered materials are passed into the egg.""

is this the same nonsensical "science" that says GMO foods are perfectly fine? why can't egglands "best" simply refrain from using ANY GMO feed?

Taylor 10 Jan, 08:18 PM

I have always loved eggland's best free range organic eggs but I was very disturbed to find out that all the male chicks are killed by strangling or suffocation. I have been a vegetarian four years and eggs have always been a great source of protein for me, but now I am going to have to cut them out.

Bart Slaugh 11 Jan, 11:45 AM

Lea,

Thanks for your inquiry. The best way to guarantee that no GMO products have been used in hens’ feed is to use Eggland’s Best Organic eggs. It is a basic requirement of organic certification that no GMO products be used.

RE: "Scientific research has confirmed that none of the genetically engineered materials are passed into the egg." Genetically transmissible material that could be affected by genetic engineering is carried in the protein portion of plants and plant products. This would not affect eggs, because protein in eggs is always the same, regardless of what the hen eats. You can change the levels of vitamins, minerals and fats and get a corresponding change in the content of the eggs, but changing dietary protein is very different in that it results in no change in the egg protein. If someone is allergic to soy or wheat protein and the hens get fed soy and wheat, there will be no problem with eating eggs from the hens. In summary, any components of GMO plants that are manipulated by the genetic engineering process will not pass into eggs.

Bart

Bart Salugh 13 Jan, 02:32 PM

Thank you for sharing your thoughts regarding male chicks. We appreciate your concern. Eggland's Best is not involved in this practice. Eggland’s Best is highly committed to animal welfare. All of our franchisee egg producers’ facilities and practices are 3rd-party certified for humane animal care.

Doores Parkeour 26 Jan, 04:41 PM

Hello Bart. We've met on previous occasions. Do you remember me? I asked you a question about eggs. I'm having a Valentine's day party and I want heart-shaped yolked eggs. Not a human heart of course. The symbol. Haha. I recently purchased some chickens. If I add something to their diet, will the yolks change? I'm a fan of your work. I did my dissortation on you in college. I recently read Rachel Verrill's work and found it inferior to yours. Happy Valentine's Day!

Always,
Doores

Taylor 28 Jan, 08:09 PM

Well where do the male chicks go after they are hatched?

Bart Slaugh 1 Feb, 09:09 AM

Doores,

Thank you for your comments. I do not know of any way to make a hen lay heart-shaped egg yolks. Yolks are laid this way on extremely rare occasion when the yolk membrane has weak points that allow it to bulge in just the right areas to form a heart shape.

If you search Google images for "heart eggs" you will see some photos of fried eggs cut into a heart shape (cookie cutter?). If you fry the eggs until the yolks are firm, you could possibly cut the yolks into a heart shape as well.

Bart

Jennifer 3 Feb, 09:55 AM

Hi,

I just wanted to say thank you for your eggs. They are wonderful and I can definitely taste the difference from local store brand vs. yours. We have been eating egglands best for years now. Even though they are a bit more money than store brand, the taste and quality make up for it.

I also want to say that as far as I can remember, I don't recall ever getting one of your eggs with blood in it. I have however gotten plenty of eggs from other brands with blood in it. It was never earth shattering as it seems for some on here. Eggs come from an animal people, sometimes there will be blood. Get over it or go vegan.

Bart Slaugh 5 Feb, 09:05 AM

Jennifer,

Thank you for your comments and for being understanding of the natural nature of egg production. It is not like a manufacturing process where so much can be directly controlled. Egg imperfections will happen and we make every effort to detect and remove defective eggs, but it is not that easy to shine a light through an egg shell and find every defect. The American Egg Board states that even with electronic detectors it is impossible to catch all defective eggs. We do our best. USDA grades our eggs with a zero tolerance spec, since the eggs are kosher. We do far more than any other company to ensure that our eggs are safe, are of high quality and that we consistently meet all nutritional claims --- and we work to improve all of these aspects of our program continually.

Bart

Kevin Kelly 15 Feb, 07:10 PM

Hello, I see someone else asked you how male chicks are treated by Eggland's Best. Your response was not specific? Do you all grind them up or is that done at hatcheries prior to you getting hens? Do you have your own hatcheries? What els happens to the hens once they have a reached an age where they can't produce eggs any more?

Shea 19 Feb, 02:26 PM

Bart,

On 13 Nov, 09:01 AM you wrote:

Thank you for sharing your comments. Every Eggland's Best carton states, "Safe Handling Instructions: To prevent illness from bacteria: Keep eggs refrigerated, cook eggs until yolks are firm, and cook foods containing eggs thoroughly." I am not aware of anything on our web site that contradicts this statement. We have a very comprehensive food safety quality assurance program involving extensive testing and vaccination, but it was never our intent that this would make it acceptable to consume our eggs raw.

I just saw an advertisement on TV that shows someone dipping a piece of toast into the yolk of a sunny side up egg, which was clearly not 'firm'. What's up with the doublespeak?

Taylor 19 Feb, 04:45 PM

Hmm...that's nice you removed my comment. That just proves there are things they do not want you to know in the egg industry.

Bart Slaugh 22 Feb, 01:01 PM

Kevin,

Thanks for the comments and your concern for the care of our hens! We do not have any hatcheries. Handling of male chicks is done at hatcheries six months prior to hens becoming part of the Eggland's Best program. When hens are retired from egg production, they become the food that pet lovers give to their dogs and cats.

It would not be financially feasible to send the hens to any kind of shelter. It would cost over $700 million for feed for the first year if all of the retiring hens in the US were saved. Assuming a 10-year life span for the hens, and with adding a new group of retiree hens each year, it would cost $39 billion in 10 years. That is just for the feed, without considering buying land and building houses for an additional 90 million hens each year, plus any other utility and maintenance costs.

Bart

Bart Slaugh 22 Feb, 02:41 PM

Shea,

The eggs in the ads were cooked according to standard egg industry recommendations – whites completely firm and yolks starting to thicken. As noted in the following information, safe cooking of eggs does not mean that yolks need to be hard. A recommendation that yolks reach a solid consistency is only a recommendation for the elderly, very young, sick, pregnant women and health-challenged individuals. To be on the safe side for all consumers, egg packages state, “Safe Handling Instructions: To prevent illness from bacteria: Keep eggs refrigerated, cook eggs until yolks are firm, and cook foods containing eggs thoroughly.”

American Egg Board: Cook until yolks begin to thicken (no longer runny, but not hard).

BBC Cooking: Salmonella is a particular risk for pregnant women, babies and toddlers, the elderly and people already unwell. When cooking for these groups, only use eggs in dishes that are thoroughly cooked, or cook them until the white and yolk are solid. Avoid serving eggs with runny yolks to these people.

WikiHow: Cook the eggs until the whites and yolk reach the desired consistency. Usually this means that the whites are firm and the yolk is thick but not firm.

Egg Farmers of Canada: For sunny-side up, cook just until whites are set.

British Egg Industry Council: Can I use raw eggs? Food Standards Agency advice … recommends that vulnerable groups such as the elderly, very young, sick and pregnant women should eat eggs that are thoroughly cooked.

Bart

Joshua Cambert 12 Mar, 04:24 PM

Hi,
Do you have any egg recipes with dillweed or starfruit in them? I'm trying to incorperate these foods into my diet because of their health value but I love eggs so much. I thought- why not combine them?
Thanks!