We pick up eggs from the farm 2-3 times per week. Our stores receive deliveries of eggs at least twice per week. In fact, the eggs once they reach the grocer should be no more than 10 days old and many get there within 2 days of being laid.

Firstly, there is no difference nutritionally between a day old egg and a 2 month old egg as long as they are held at the proper temperature (0 to 8° C). However, the functional properties of fresh eggs are better than old eggs (e.g. they perform better in baking and in meringues). Old eggs resemble fresh eggs in many ways and sometimes it is hard to tell the difference between the two. If you crack an egg open and it spreads all over the pan then it is not fresh. What happens as an egg ages is that air diffuses into the shell breaking down the internal contents (denaturing the proteins for the more technical types). This causes the bonds in the molecules that comprise the egg to break down and the egg does not hold together as well. Fresher eggs stand up better when you cook them and are much nicer to work with.

To test if eggs are fresh, put them in some water and see if they float. If they do, then the air cell is quite large, indicating that the eggs are not fresh.

Yes, you should keep your eggs refrigerated. Government regulations are very strict in Canada to the point that we have one of the safest food chains in the world. Eggs must be kept refrigerated at all times. This includes at the henhouse, the grading station, the grocery store and your home. Refrigeration limits the growth of bacteria. It also keeps the egg 7 times fresher than leaving it out of refrigeration. This means that an egg in refrigeration will keep 7 times longer than one that is not. It is important to refrigerate eggs, but if a dozen is left out for a few days, be sure to cook it fully, and this will kill any harmful bacteria that may develop. This would mean scrambling, hard boiling or using them in baking, instead of Sunnyside up. The yolk should not be runny.

On average, a 45 day code is put on eggs to ensure maximum freshness and Grade A quality. Eggs up to three weeks a month past the code date are still safe to eat. It is some of the functional properties that might not be as good (e.g. they may not bind cakes together as well). The rate at which quality is lost depends on many factors including handling and storage practices, and temperatures. To be safe, it is best to thoroughly cook any eggs that are past their code date or eggs that have been out of refrigeration for several days that may be within the code date. That means that yolks should not be runny.

Double yolk eggs come from young hens. The reproductive systems of young hens are not fully developed and sometimes they will lay eggs with 2 yolks. If you look at the shape of the shell there is usually a ridge in the middle, which makes them look like two eggs that have been pushed together, which is essentially what the chicken has done. It is absolutely safe to eat eggs with double yolks.

The trick to hard boiling eggs, believe it or not, is to use mature eggs! Eggs should be purchased at least one week in advance. The egg has a membrane that surrounds the white and yolk and this sticks to the shell. As the egg ages, air diffuses into the egg and comes between this membrane and the shell. Eggs that are between 10 and 21 days old are probably the best for hard boiling. Cook them for 10 minutes for hardboiled and 3 minutes for soft boiled.

Sprinkle a little salt into a microwave-safe custard cup or ramekin. Crack an egg into the cup and use a fork to prick an "X" into the yolk. Cover with a lid or plate. Cook on MED-HIGH for 40 seconds for a semi-soft cooked egg or 45 seconds for a hard cooked egg.

Tip: Position yolks in the centre of the cup for even cooking.

NOTE: Microwave ovens may vary in power. The microwave used for these tests was 1200 W.

Fibre packaging is made from recycled paper, which is recyclable and biodegradable.

Omega-3s and Your Health

Omega-3 fats are an important factor for good health throughout life. In the early years, omega-3 fats are recognized as particularly vital for heathy growth and development.

There are three main types of omega-3 fats in foods:
ALA (alpha-linolenic acid)
EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid)
DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)

While ALA is considered essential, most people likely get enough of this omega-3 fat because it is found in many plant foods including nuts and seeds like walnuts and flaxseeds and vegetable oils like canola oil.

It is especially important to focus on getting enough of DHA and EPA omega-3s. That’s because many people likely don’t get enough of these long-chain omega-3 fats found primarily in fatty fish like salmon.

The omega-3 fatty acid DHA supports the normal physical development of the brain, eyes and nerves primarily in children under two year of age. The Institute of Medicine that sets nutrition recommendations for Canadians stated that "The developing brain accumulates large amounts of DHA during the pre- and postnatal development and this accumulation continues throughout the first 2 years after birth".¹

Dietitians of Canada suggest that healthy adults aim for a daily DHA + EPA omega-3 intake of 500 mg. ²

Canada’s Food Guide also recommends two 75 g servings of fatty fish per week to get these Omega-3s.

Since Naturegg Omega-3 eggs are enhanced with DHA, they’re a convenient option to help to fill the gap between intakes and needs.

Learn more about your needs and food sources of omega-3 fats.

References:

1. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids. Washington, (DC): National Academies Press; 2005. P. 444-5.

2. Kris-Etherton PM and Innis S. Position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada: Dietary Fatty Acids. JADA, 2007; 107(9):1599-1611.

Our eggs are nutritionally-enhanced for people looking for natural foods with more essential nutrients. Green Valley Farms Omega 3 eggs come from hens raised in an enriched colony barn in small social groups that are free to perch and lay their eggs in a nesting area in a furnished cage environment. To produce these eggs, our chickens eat an all-natural, flax-based diet that was developed by researchers at the University of Guelph.

Green Valley Farms is a proud supporter of green electricity with Bullfrog Power®*. *Bullfrog Power® provides Canadians with 100% green energy solutions that enable them to reduce their environmental impact, support renewable energy, and help create a cleaner, healthier world. Visit www.bullfrogpower.com for more information.

While all eggs are nutritious, all-natural and offer a great source of protein, vitamins and minerals, Green Valley Farms Omega 3 eggs also provide an additional source of omega-3 fats.

(per 1 large egg 53 g)

Source of omega-3 polyunsaturates
75 mg of DHA omega-3 fatty acids
Provides a minimum of 20% of the Daily Value of total omega-3 polyunsaturates (8 times more than regular large eggs)
Produced by hens fed an all-natural, flax-based diet with added vitamin E
Appealing bright golden yolk
Premium quality and freshness

What chickens eat naturally affects the nutritional value of the eggs they produce. Feeding a chicken flaxseed, an abundant source of omega-3 fats, naturally modifies the fat in the yolk of her eggs to contain more of these good omega-3 fats, and less saturated fat and omega-6 fats.

A lot of research went into developing our Omega 3 eggs. We started working on our omega-3 eggs back in the 1990s shortly after Health Canada publicly recognized the importance of omega-3 fats.

For many years, researchers at the University of Guelph worked hard to develop a feed formula for chickens that would naturally increase the omega-3 content of their eggs without sacrificing taste.

It’s good to know Green Valley Farms Omega 3 eggs are an all-natural, nutritious option that taste great too!

Hens raised in enriched colony barns live in a furnished cage environment in smaller social groups with scratch areas, perches, and nesting areas to lay their eggs.

Green Valley Farms free range eggs are laid by hens roam freely in open concept areas with perches, nests and dust bathe areas. In the free range barn, the birds also have access to the outdoors weather permitting. But what’s really exciting about this farm is that is completely off the hydro electric grid. It is powered by the sun from solar panels on the roof. The farm is also designed to be as energy efficient as possible with high efficiency motors, lighting and ventilation. The energy used on this farm is 100% clean energy.

(per 1 large egg 53 g)

Free Range means all the hens roam freely in open concept areas with perches, nests and dust bathe areas. In the free range barn, the birds also have access to the outdoors. This does, however, introduce some risks like predators and disease.

Green Valley Farms is completely off the hydro electric grid. It is 100% powered by the sun from solar panels on the roof of the hen barns. The farm has a bank of lithium batteries that house excess energy and provides power to the hen houses during the night and on cloudy days.

The farm is also designed to be as energy efficient as possible with high efficiency motors, lighting and ventilation. These systems are state of the art designs that use as little energy as possible to maximize energy use on the farm. In emergencies, the farm does have a diesel generator for backup power to protect the health and wellbeing of our hens.

Green Valley Farms produces more power than it needs especially during summer months when the sun is at its peak. Excess power is stored in a bank of lithium batteries for later usage. The good news is, it also shares any excess power with our neighbouring hen barns. This reduces hydro use for those barns and also reduces their environmental footprint.

Green Valley Farms is proud to partner with Bullfrog Power® to ensure that our Enriched Colony Eggs are produced with 100% green energy. Bullfrog Power® provides Canadians with 100% green energy solutions that enable them to reduce their environmental impact, support renewable energy, and help create a cleaner, healthier world. Visit www.bullfrogpower.com for more information.