Vitamin D has been shown to improve egg shell strength, which helps keeps eggs fresher over time. (Hyline, Roberts, USDA Nutrient Database)

Vitamin E has been shown to improve egg yolk membrane strength, which helps to keep eggs fresher over time. It also helps to keep omega-3’s stabilized and flavor fresh throughout storage. (Roberts, Scheideler, USDA Nutrient Database)

Iodine has shown to improve egg yolk membrane and shell strength, which helps keeps eggs fresher over time. (Jacobs, Jones, Kirunda, Lichovnikova)

Zinc has been shown to improve egg shell strength, which helps keeps eggs fresher over time. (Hyline, Mabe, Roberts)

Manganese has been shown to improve egg shell strength, which helps keeps eggs fresher over time. (Hyline, Mabe, Roberts)

Organic selenium has been shown to be more readily bio-available or absorbed by hens vs. inorganic or mined selenium. The absorption of selenium has been shown to improve egg yolk membrane strength, which helps keeps eggs fresher over time. (Hyline, Kralik, Payne, Scheidler)

Oxidation and rancidity due to animal by-products and fat in a hen’s diet has been linked to vitamin and mineral deterioration and consequently poorer quality shells and eggs.

Using canola oil in the feed in place of animal fat results in EB Eggs having 25% less saturated fat than the USDA standard reference for eggs. Not only does this help to give Eggland’s Best Eggs their superior taste but is also important for achieving the 115 mg of Omega 3 fatty acids in each EB Egg.

Reprocessed foods such as french fry oil, manufactured food scraps and food waste can be included in the diets for commercial laying hens.

Antioxidants help prevent rancidity and oxidation which has been linked to deterioration of nutrients and poor quality shells and eggs.

More than 90% of Eggland’s Best Eggs are packed within hours of being laid. The faster an egg is packed and shipped to stores the stronger its yolk membranes and shells are and the fresher the egg is. The “best before” or “sell by” date that appears on cartons is based on when an egg is packed NOT when it is laid. USDA voluntary egg guidelines allow eggs to be stored for up to 21 days before being packed into cartons, as compared to a maximum of 7 for Eggland’s Best. (Jones, Kirunda, Roberts)

The FDA Egg Safety Rule allows eggs to be out of refrigeration up to 50% more time than Eggland’s Best maximum limit. The longer an egg sits outside refrigeration, the weaker the shells and yolk membrane become, which lead to eggs being not as fresh and losing their freshness more quickly. (Kirunda, Roberts)

The FDA Egg Safety Rule allow eggs to sit outside refrigerated storage for up to 50% more time than Eggland’s Best’s maximum prior to washing. The longer an egg sits outside refrigeration, the weaker the shells and yolk membrane become, which lead to eggs being not as fresh and losing their freshness more quickly. (Kirunda, Roberts)

Quickly getting the eggs into refrigerated storage and keeping them under those conditions in the processing plant ensures that the eggs’ shells and yolks remain strong and maintain a consistent level of freshness.

This reduces the risk of the eggs sitting wet in cartons, leaving them more vulnerable to bacteria passing through the shell and causing spoilage and quality deterioration.

Eggs from older hens are more likely to have runnier albumen and cracked or deteriorated shells and thus not be as fresh or stay as fresh. (Jacobs, Roberts)

Eggland’s Best mandates annual audits by poultry veterinarians or PAACO (Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization) certified auditors of all farms, feed mills, and processing plants. PAACO Auditors are trained in hen welfare and unbiased auditing practices.

Vaccination reduces the risk of salmonellosis. The hens are also vaccinated against common poultry diseases that could affect hen health and egg quality.

Healthy hens are essential for fresh, high quality eggs, but Eggland’s Best believes in keeping its hens healthy through superior feeding and care and not by relying on the use of antibiotics during the laying cycle which may lead to weaker immune systems and increased susceptibility to diseases later in the hens’ life which can negatively affect shell & membrane strength and quality.

Over 70% of eggs are not inspected at all by the USDA or held to any consistent quality or freshness standards.

1. Eggland’s Best Grade AA Eggs have at least 92% Grade AA eggs. USDA standards criteria require only 87% minimum.
2. Even when labeled Grade A, Eggland’s Best Eggs must have at least 80% Grade AA eggs. USDA certified Grade A eggs have no Grade AA egg minimums.
3. Eggland’s Best has zero tolerance for bloodspots. USDA standards allow up to 1% of eggs to have bloodspots. USDA field surveys have shown eggs are actually 45% – 55% more likely to have blood spots than Eggland’s Best. (EB-USDA Specs, USDA Retail Product Quality Survey 2010)
4. Eggland’s Best Eggs can contain no more than 4% Grade B eggs. Under USDA’s basic standards certified eggs can be up to 13% Grade B and Non-USDA inspected eggs can contain significantly higher levels of Grade B. (EB-USDA Specs)
5. Eggland’s Best has standards for cracked eggs that are 20% more stringent that those for USDA basic certified eggs. And non-USDA eggs have been shown to have significantly higher levels of cracking than even the USDA certified eggs. (EB-USDA Specs; USDA Retail Product Quality Survey 2010).

This helps ensure that the time and distance from farm to store is minimized for Eggland’s Best Eggs to better preserve freshness.

The Eggland’s Best takes this additional measure to ensure that freshness and quality are consistently maintained at a high level by all its farms and processing locations. (EB-USDA Specs)

SQF is a recognized international leader in verifying stringent quality assurance programs. Eggland’s Best goes to these additional lengths to ensure that freshness and quality are consistently maintained at a high level by all its farms and processing locations.

Additional testing is also done by internal EB personnel in Eggland’s Best’s own laboratory. More than 35,000 tests are performed annually to ensure Eggland’s Best’s freshness, nutrition and quality standards are consistently being met or exceeded at the consumer’s point of purchase.

Eggland’s Best has won a national taste award for ten years in a row since 2001, including the American Masters of Taste Gold Medal for Superior Taste for eggs every year since 2007.