Which category of eggs is the largest? Chicken egg. How to choose eggs in the store

You are in a store or supermarket. There are eggs on the shopping list. Before you on the shelves, as usual, are the three most common categories of chicken eggs: the second category is table - the cheapest; the first category canteen is somewhat more expensive; a selected table egg is even more expensive. Other categories are less common and far from everywhere. We do not take them into account.

Attention, the question: which category of eggs is the most profitable to buy? We checked everything, counted everything and now we are sharing the received data with you.

State standard and reality

The grading of eggs by category is regulated by the relevant GOSTs. The parameter defining the category is the mass of the egg (the sixth page of the document under the link).

However, this is the norm. Is it observed in practice? Often you hear from older people the words in the style of "and then they cheat, sell the second grade as a selection." We went to the store and did test purchase... Ten eggs in each category.

We have weighed the eggs of each category with a culinary scale.

Results for the second category:

The total weight of a dozen was 509 grams, that is, on average, one egg weighs 50.9 grams. This is almost the middle of the standard according to GOST. Everything is fine.

The total weight of the dozen was 595 grams. The average weight of one egg is 59.5 grams. Again, the middle of the norm. Things are good.

Selected Egg:

The total weight of the dozen was 665 grams. The average weight of one egg is 66.5 grams. Hmmm ...

According to GOST, the minimum weight of a selected egg can be 65 grams. It turns out that, in practice, the ten selection we got is actually at the lower limit of the norm. Another 1.5 grams, and you could ask the poultry farm questions.

Ideally, one selected egg should weigh an average of 70 grams. From this ten selection, we received less than 35 grams of the product.

Saving

Now let's move on to the financial side of the issue. Our average price for eggs in stores is as follows:

First, let's calculate the cost of 1 gram of eggs for each category.

As you can see, a gram of selected eggs is the cheapest, but very often people try to save money and take the second category of eggs, because they seem to be the cheapest. In fact, it is most profitable to take the selection. Let it be more expensive, but in terms of the ratio to the resulting mass of the product, selection is most profitable.

Now let's do the recalculation in a more visual form. We will rely on the second category. Let's denote the average actual weight of the eggs of the second category as x.

Then the average actual mass of an egg of the first category relative to the second will be 59.5 ÷ 50.6 = 1.17x. This means that the price of a dozen should be 1.17 × 53 = 62.01 rubles. But in practice, a dozen of these eggs cost only 59 rubles.

The average actual mass of a selected egg relative to the second category is 66.5 ÷ 50.6 = 1.3x. This means that the price for a dozen should be 1.3 × 53 = 68.9 rubles. But in practice, only 63 rubles.

Total

It turns out that by buying a selection instead of the second category, we save 68.9 - 63 = 5.9 rubles from every ten eggs.

I do strength sports, and it is important for me to fulfill the daily protein intake, which, by the way, is at least 1.7 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. With this calculation, even 10 eggs eaten a day does not solve the problem of a lack of protein, and therefore the more one egg, the better.

Let's see how much I save if I buy ten selected eggs every day instead of the second category.

5.9 × 365 = 2,153.5 rubles in savings per year. Not bad!

Once again about the harm of eggs

Modern research has unequivocally refuted the link between the consumption of eggs (as well as other foods saturated with animal fats and cholesterol) and an increase in bad blood cholesterol. It turned out that the protein contained in eggs, on the contrary, helps to establish the process of transport of cholesterol in the body and avoid the formation of plaques and blood clots. In fact, a lack of protein in the diet is far more dire than a reasonable excess of saturated fat. Our article "" will tell you the whole truth about eggs.

One of the criteria for classifying eggs is the permissible storage duration.

With this in mind, two groups are distinguished: table and dietary eggs.

Diet eggs are not stored at low temperatures and are sold within seven days. In fact, this is a very fresh egg. This product is usually labeled in red and should indicate the date of its introduction.

Table eggs are stored no more than twenty-five days at room temperature, in the refrigerator - ninety days. A blue stamp is placed on the shell with the obligatory indication of the category.

In addition, eggs are classified by weight.
Mass allows you to distinguish the following categories:

The highest - seventy-five grams and more, denoted by the letters SV.
Selected - from 65 to 74.90 grams, has a CO marking.
- from 55 to 64.90 grams.
Egg of the second category C2 - from 45 to 54.90 grams. It is notable for its small size, as it was taken down by young chickens.
C3 - weight from 35 to 45 grams.

When buying, you should pay attention to the egg sorting date. After all, the fresher the egg, the better it is. It is desirable that the sorting date is close to the purchase date.

In addition, the location of the egg production is important. It is better to choose copies of your region.

GOST chicken eggs

Everything chicken eggs must comply with the requirements of the state standard, sanitary and epidemiological rules and veterinary legislation.

GOSTchicken eggs sets a number of requirements for the quality of the product.

First of all, the shell. It must be clean and free of any damage or stains. The presence of stripes and single points is allowed.
Too dirty eggs should be treated with special detergents, but only those that are approved for use.
The contents of the egg should not have odors: rottenness, rottenness.

An examination is carried out to determine the variety and freshness of the eggs.

For analysis, take several pieces of eggs from each batch.
Then ovoscopy is performed, during which the transparency of the egg, the mobility of the yolk is checked.
If damaged eggs are found and any problems are identified, the entire batch is passed through the ovoscope, after which a conclusion on their quality is drawn up.

Chicken eggs that meet the requirements of GOST are used for industrial processing and sale in stores.

The product with dirty shells is packed separately, the container is provided with the appropriate label and sent for quick use in confectionery and bakery industries.

GOST also establishes the shelf life of eggs - no more than twenty-five days from the day of sorting at a temperature from zero to plus twenty degrees - a household refrigerator.

As part of the rolling research of Roskachestvo, eggs of 38 brands were studied according to 35 quality and safety parameters, 28 of which were tested in 2016, and 10 in 2019. in demand. All presented products, with the exception of one Belarusian brand, were of Russian origin. According to the results of laboratory tests, eggs of two brands were recognized as high-quality products that meet not only the mandatory requirements of the legislation, but also the increased requirements of the Roskachestvo standard: "Lenta" and "Most tasty". These products have already passed the audit and were awarded the Russian Quality Mark. Note that this standard is voluntary. Unfortunately, in 2019, the list of eggs that meet the increased requirements of the Roskachestvo standard has not been replenished.

STANDARD OF THE RUSSIAN QUALITY SYSTEM

The standard of the Russian quality system for chicken edible eggs has established requirements for the indicator of the alkaline balance of the yolk, deviations from which may indicate stale goods. So, the pH of the yolk should be at least 5.9. According to the Roskachestvo standard, the eggshell should be of normal shape, intact and clean (without blood stains and droppings), and the egg white should be dense, light and transparent; the presence of spots and inclusions in the egg is not allowed. In addition, the weight of one egg must be over 55 grams, and in one package the eggs must not differ in weight by more than 5 g. The shell thickness must be at least 0.4 mm, and the height air chamber inside the egg - no more than 7 mm. Also, the Roskachestvo standard introduced additional requirements for the content of vitamins (A, E and D 3) and omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids in eggs. The required level of localization of products for the assignment of the Russian Quality Mark is at least 98% of the cost of goods.

Russian egg - no salmonella

The risk of salmonellosis is a major consumer fear when eating eggs, especially raw eggs. To eliminate this risk, it is necessary to wash eggs and kitchen utensils, and store eggs in a separate box of the refrigerator - the shells should not touch other food. However, even observing all these procedures, the consumer does not receive a guarantee that the eaten raw egg will not result in problems with the gastrointestinal tract for him. Therefore, we investigated whether the eggs contain pathogenic microorganisms, including salmonella. However, as it turned out, there is no need to be afraid - we did not find salmonella and other pathogenic microorganisms in the eggs.

Before buying eggs, as a rule, the consumer opens the package to check for broken eggs and evaluate appearance product. Of course, an indirect sign of the quality of an egg is the purity of its shell.

According to GOST and the Roskachestvo standard, the shell must be intact, clean, without blood stains and droppings. The presence of spots, dots, stripes on the shell is allowed if their appearance is caused by the contact of eggs with the cage or conveyor for collection. According to the test results, we found single traces of blood and droppings only on eggs "Just ABC".

In addition, the study examined the thickness of the eggshell. For eggs, the shell is a protective shell, and for the consumer it is a guarantee that all purchased eggs will be brought home safe and sound. The thickness of the shell depends on the conditions of the laying hens, their feeding, the type and age of the bird, as well as on the season of obtaining eggs from the hen. According to the Roskachestvo standard, the shell must be at least 0.4 mm thick. As shown by the results of measurements, the shells are thinner in eggs of four brands: "365 days", "Just ABC", "Sinyavinskoe" and "Fine food".

Also in 2016, the visual characteristics of the egg shell were studied - its roughness and marbling. Roughness is a defect caused by a violation of mineral and vitamin metabolism in laying hens; it is believed that a rough shell is thinner and more fragile. We encountered such a defect in eggs of nine brands. Marbling is the presence of lighter areas on the shell. It appears due to a lack of calcium in the body of the bird. Almost all of the eggs in the study, with the exception of two brands of eggs, had a marble shell. On the eve of Easter, experts from Roskachestvo in the course of laboratory tests tried to identify the relationship between the roughness and marbling of an egg and its ability to color. As a result, it was confirmed that both smooth and rough eggs are colored exactly the same. Moreover, neither the roughness nor the marbling ultimately had anything to do with the thickness of the shell.

We missed the size

Eggs are divided into five categories by weight: the larger the weight, the higher the grade. According to the Roskachestvo standard, an egg must weigh more than 55 grams. Recall that this study involved eggs of the elite (C0) and the highest category (St.). Eggs from 13 brands bearing this mark have been declared “compliant with GOST”. In reality, only eggs of one brand were able to comply with GOST - "The tastiest"... The rest of the eggs are 12 brands - "365 days", "Varaksino" Eco ", "Every day", "Okskoe", Praxis, , "Seimovskaya poultry farm", "Village Green", "Rural nov", "Sinyavinskoe", "Chepfa" and FINE LIFE did not correspond to the category "selected", which means they misled consumers with their labeling. The specified category of individual eggs by weight could not correspond to the real values in the eggs of five more brands, produced according to their own standards or technical specifications of the enterprises: "Varaksino" Derevenskoe ", "Gold of the Seimas", "Polziki", "Roskar" Aktivita " and "Roskar" Yarkovo ".

In addition, as stated in the Roskachestvo standard, eggs in one package should not differ in weight by more than 5 grams. This requirement of the standard was met by products of ten brands: "Varaksino" Derevenskoe ", "Ribbon", "Just ABC", "Poultry farm Borovskaya", "Poultry farm Vladimirovskaya", "Bird's Land", "The tastiest", "Rural nov", "Chebarkul bird" and Fine Food.

Vitamins - yellow

Eggs are a product rich in vitamins A, E, D 3, etc. Their maximum concentration is in the yolk. The Roskachestvo standard established requirements for the content of vitamins similar to those of technical regulations Customs Union. The amount of vitamins in a product is measured using two metrological characteristics: it must cover a part daily allowance human consumption and have the correct ratio of net weight in micrograms per 100 grams of product. In the course of laboratory tests, the following results were obtained:

The vitamin D 3 content in all samples met the requirements (100 grams should cover 15% of the daily requirement; in most cases, 100 grams of yolk covered more than 50% of the daily requirement). However, two brands of eggs ( "Roskar" Yarkovo " and "Chepfa") the amount of vitamins did not correspond to the information indicated in the labeling.

Decreased vitamin A content (100 grams of yolk should cover 12.5% of the daily requirement) has been found in products "Varaksino" Eco ", "Gold of the Seimas", "Every day", "Summer", "Polziki", Praxis, "Just ABC", "Poultry complex" AK "Bars", "Roskar" Aktivita ", "Roskar" Extra ", "Rural nov", "Sinyavinskoe", "Chepfa" and Fine Food.

It is curious that in 2019 we did not find eggs with a lack of certain vitamins.

REFERENCE

As the research shows, the production of chicken eggs enriched with vitamins, microelements, polyunsaturated fatty acids is carried out according to the enterprises' own technical conditions due to the absence of a special uniform GOST; all natural edible eggs are produced in accordance with the interstate GOST 31654-2012. At the same time, manufacturers on the packaging of goods indicate "with selenium", "with iodine", "with carotenoids", "with vitamins A, B 1, B 2, B 12, D or E". This suggests that any egg must contain the declared elements in the appropriate quantity, otherwise it will be regarded as a violation of consumer rights to reliable labeling.

In addition to the vitamin content, in 2019 we estimated how many carotenoids are in eggs. Most of them were in goods Volzhanin and "Chebarkul bird"... There is an established opinion: the darker the yolk, the more carotenoids it contains. Yes, in most cases, eggs with a dark yellow yolk do contain a lot of carotenoids. However, as the study has shown, this is not an axiom. The eggs of the same brand with a dark yellow yolk had fewer carotenoids than those with yellow. So there is no undeniable relationship between the number of carotenoids and the color of the yolk. Rather, it depends on their species.

It won't be fat

It is difficult to overestimate the benefits of omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids for the body: it has been scientifically proven that people who consume enough of these acids practically do not suffer from cardiovascular diseases and do not have atherosclerotic damage. And you can get the required dose of polyunsaturated fatty acids without leaving large amounts in the pharmacy, but simply by regularly consuming products containing these acids in sufficient quantities.

REFERENCE

Most of all omega-3 (up to 2 grams) is found in herring, sardine and mackerel, and there are many of them in salmon - almost 1.5 grams. Natural eggs contain only 0.1 grams of omega-3 acid. This is a relatively small amount, and in order to meet the daily requirement for omega-3, a person must eat about six eggs per day. However, doctors do not recommend using such an amount of eggs: the dose of the resulting cholesterol will block all the potential benefits. To maintain a normal amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the body, nutritionists advise to eat fish one or two days a week, and the rest of the time to maintain balance with eggs, linseed oil or walnuts.

As laboratory tests have shown, all the eggs examined contain a sufficient amount of omega-6 acid, but many have problems with the omega-3 content. Both acids were found in optimal amounts * in brand-name eggs "Varaksino" Derevenskoe ", "Gold of the Seimas", "Every day", "Ribbon", "Summer", "Polziki", "Roskar" Aktivita ", Roskar Happy Chicken, "Roskar" Extra " and "The tastiest"... Among the eggs examined in 2019, we did not find those where omega-3 and omega-6 would be contained in the optimal amount - everywhere there was a lack of omega-3.

* According to the Roskachestvo standard, the optimal amount of omega-3 in 100 grams of an egg should be at least 0.2 grams, omega-6 - 0.8 grams. This amount is calculated based on the daily requirement of a person and is based on the guidelines 2.3.1.2432-08 "Norms of physiological needs for energy and nutrients for various groups of the population of the Russian Federation ”.

More air

Eggs are a perishable product, so the freshness of the product becomes a determining factor when choosing and buying. One of the indicators that speaks about the "age" of the egg is the size of the air chamber between the protein and the inner wall of the shell. In a fresh egg, this air chamber (puga) is small. Over time, the egg begins to dry out, and the puga begins to grow. This process, by the way, directly affects the convenience of cleaning the product - it is much easier to remove the shell from an older egg. According to GOST requirements, the height of the air chamber should not exceed 7–9 mm.

REFERENCE

It is interesting to note that in state standard this indicator is presented for two temperature regimes: from 0 to 20 ˚С - no more than 7 mm, and at temperatures from –2 to 0 ˚С - no more than 9 mm. The second indicator was introduced specifically for residents of the north; in the central part of Russia, eggs are not produced or stored at this temperature.

In the stores where we carried out the purchase of samples, the temperature on the shelf was above freezing. Therefore, according to the Roskachestvo standard, the height of the air chamber in eggs should be no more than 7 mm. That is, we have set in this way high level the freshness of the egg. According to the results of the study, only eggs under the trade marks met this requirement. "365 days", "Avdon", Volzhanin, JSC "Poultry farm" Orenburgskaya ", "Ribbon", "Summer", JSC "Poultry farm" Atemarskaya ", "Poultry farm" Borovskaya ", "Poultry farm" Vladimirovskaya ", "Poultry farm" Molodezhnaya ", "Poultry farm" Morgaushskaya ", "Seimovskaya poultry farm", "Roskar" Extra " and "The tastiest"... The rest of the eggs cannot be called stale, but they are clearly stale on the counter.

Freshness of eggs, in contrast to previously examined fatty foods, it is impossible to establish by measuring the peroxide or acid number. However, the acid-base balance of the yolk is also an indirect indicator of the freshness of the product. The older the egg, the higher the acidity and the lower the pH. The Roskachestvo standard for eggs set a pH of 5.9. According to the results of laboratory tests, all products were able to meet this requirement, that is, all eggs presented in the study were fresh and suitable for consumption.

REFERENCE

At home, you can check the freshness of an egg by dipping it in water. If it sinks, then most likely the egg is fresh, if it rises to the surface with one end - not the first freshness, if it floats on the surface - stale. How to choose chicken eggs and what to look for in the store - read in

Look for signs

According to the current Russian standards, each egg produced at a poultry farm must be marked with letters and numbers - they can be blue or red.

The letter "D" means that the egg is a dietary one. Such eggs are not stored at negative temperatures and are sold within seven days. As a rule, in this case, the marking is applied in red ink. There are practically no such eggs on the market.

The letter "C" means that the egg is a table egg. Such eggs are sold within 25 days from the date of production. You will find blue markings on their shells. Table eggs can be stored for up to 25 days outside the refrigerator and up to 120 days in the refrigerator.

Nuance: dietary eggs are not some special kind of eggs, they are the same table eggs. Their difference lies in freshness. Any dietary egg turns into a table egg seven days after production. By the way, dietary eggs have a very small air sac under the shell, which is why they are poorly cleaned. Table eggs have time to collect air through the pores of the shell, which greatly facilitates the process of cleaning them after boiling.

Also, eggs are divided into categories depending on their weight. Information about belonging to a category is indicated on the shell in the form of numbers or letters. It is worth remembering a simple rule: the larger the number, the smaller the size will be. The largest eggs are indicated by letters.

The smallest weigh from 35 to 44.9 grams - 3rd category (3)
Larger weigh from 45 to 54.9 grams - 2nd category (2)
Even larger - from 55 to 64.9 grams - 1st category (1)
The largest eggs - from 65 to 74.9 grams - selected (O)
The highest (B) category includes eggs weighing more than 75 grams.

Nuance: there is an opinion that large eggs are tastier than small ones, but there is no scientific evidence for this statement.

Richer eggs

On store shelves, there are eggs with quite "bright" labels: "with iodine", "village", "with vitamin A and carotenoids", "fitness" - eggs with selenium, "vitamin" eggs with a high content of fatty acids. Manufacturers call this enrichment "creating products with desired properties." These eggs are produced by adding the appropriate ingredients to the feed of the layers.

Today, there are heated debates in society about these enrichment procedures. Some argue that this is certainly useful, because an egg with all its elements is absorbed by almost 97–98%. Others talk about marketing gimmicks and promote naturalness, arguing that nature has already laid everything it needs in its eggs. Nutritionists also do not have a common opinion about the benefits of egg fortification, since each person should have their own diet, depending on the lack or excess of a particular element in the body.

Many manufacturers also label their products with the phrase "bright yolk". In general, the color of the yolk depends on what the hen ate. Usually saturated yellow yolk eggs of village hens, which grew in the wild, have. In factory chickens on a mixed feed diet, the color of the yolk is light yellow. Therefore, some manufacturers began to introduce additives into the diet of chickens that color the yolk in a bright orange color.

Quails outdid chickens

If we compare chicken eggs and quail eggs from the point of view chemical composition, the difference is not immediately apparent. Moreover, quail eggs are not always the winner. In particular, per 100 grams of protein product in chicken eggs there are 12.7 grams, in quail eggs - 11.9; fat in chicken - 11.5 grams, in quail - 13.1; carbohydrates in chicken - 0.7 grams, in quail - 0.6. The energy value of quail eggs is slightly higher than chicken eggs: 168 kcal versus 157, but this also cannot be called a significant advantage.

In addition, the content of unwanted cholesterol in quail eggs is almost twice that of chicken eggs. What is their charm? It turns out that quail eggs outperform chicken eggs in the content of certain minerals and vitamins. For example, quail eggs contain almost three times more magnesium and 28% more iron, vitamin A - almost twice as much.

Nuance: minerals from eggs are partially not absorbed by the body, and vitamins are mostly destroyed during heat treatment. This applies to both chicken and quail eggs.

It is believed that quails are less aggressively exploited because they are more demanding in terms of housing conditions. They are not "pumped" with antibiotics and hormones, they are more closely monitored for the purity of cells and the supply of fresh air. There is also a stricter attitude towards the quality of water and feed. Therefore, quail eggs are considered more environmentally friendly.

So, when choosing eggs ...

You should NOT pay attention to:

Egg color. He confuses many, giving rise to fables. In reality, the color depends only on whether the hen was "brunette" or "blonde". In light breeds of chickens, the eggs are white, in black, pied and red-haired, the shell of the eggs is brown. The composition of white and brown eggs is identical, the nutritional properties do not differ.

Bio, eco, organic lettering on the egg packaging. Given that there is no certification in Russia on this issue, they cannot guarantee anything. Overseas, this may mean that the laying hens were raised on free-range and natural feed, rich in chlorophyll.

Shell roughness. It is believed that a rough shell is a sign of a low-quality product that is not rich in vitamins and has a more fragile structure, that is, such a product is easily broken. Laboratory studies of Roskachestvo did not reveal any relationship between shell texture and egg quality.

Pay attention to:

Production time. It must be indicated on the package without fail. The fresher the egg, of course, the better it is.

The manufacturer. Choose him according to the following principle: who is closer to geographic location to the point of sale, thats better. The less the egg shook along the roads from farm to counter, the better.

Egg storage location. It must be dry, clean and always free of foreign odors. Eggs, like a sponge, absorb unwanted aromas. This also applies to packaging: there should be no mold or stains on it.

Shelf life of eggs, which is regulated by GOST R 52121-2003 “Edible hen eggs. Technical conditions". At temperatures from 0 to 20 ° С and relative air humidity 85–88%, storage is provided:

dietary eggs - no more than 7 days;
table eggs - from 8 to 25 days;
washed eggs - no more than 12 days.

Shell... Examine it for cracks, chips and cleanliness. It is desirable that the eggs are clean, free of feathers and traces of droppings, without damage.

When the eggs are already at home

Here are some tips on how to properly handle your eggs when you bring them home.

Wash eggs with soap and warm running water before use.
Wash your hands, even if you just touch the egg. Remember, the causative agent of a serious infectious disease, the bacterium Salmonella, can live on the eggshell.
Store eggs separately from strong-smelling foods and raw meat. The best temperature is about 0-5 ° С
You can check the freshness of an egg by dipping it in water. If it sinks, then fresh, if it rises to the surface with one end - not the first freshness, floats on the surface - stale
Boil eggs in salted water. Even if the egg cracks, the salt will not allow the protein to leak out.
After the eggs have reached the desired condition during cooking, immerse them in ice water, so they will be better cleaned.
You can check which egg is in front of you - raw or boiled, by spinning it on a flat surface. A boiled egg will spin quickly and for a long time. The raw one will hardly make one revolution around its axis.