Frequently Asked Questions Q: Are hens given antibiotics? Are there antibiotics in my eggs? A: Egg farmers are committed to producing safe, high-quality eggs and keeping their hens healthy and free from disease. Egg farms may use a limited number of FDA-approved antibiotics, provided they comply with FDA guidelines for usage. These FDA regulations also are designed to assure antibiotic residues are not passed to eggs. Due to the effective use of vaccines and on-farm disease prevention, only a small percentage of egg-laying flocks ever receive antibiotics. If they do, it is usually under supervision of a veterinarian and only for a short time to treat a specific disease or to prevent a recurring disease. It’s important to know eggs can only be labeled as antibiotic-free if egg farmers choose not to use any antibiotics in feed or water as the pullets (young hens) are growing or when hens are laying eggs. Certified organic eggs must be antibiotic-free by regulation. Q: Do egg producers inject their hens with hormones? A: No. Growth hormones are never given to egg-laying hens in the U.S. Laying hens are fed a high-quality, nutritionally-balanced diet of corn, soybean meal, vitamins and minerals. The feed is carefully formulated with the proper nutrients to produce safe, quality eggs. Q: Is there any chance the eggs I could buy at the grocery store could be fertilized? A: Hens that produce eggs commercially never encounter a rooster, so there is no way eggs purchased at the grocery store could be fertilized with an embryo. Q: What is foodborne illness? A: The way food is processed and prepared is important because all foods have the ability to carry microorganisms (like bacteria and viruses) or toxins that can cause illness. If microorganisms or toxins are introduced to food or if bacteria are allowed to grow in or on food without being killed (usually by heat) before eating, foodborne illness can result. Common symptoms of foodborne illness include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cramps and headache. Q: How safe are eggs? A: The risk of getting a foodborne illness from eggs is very low. However, the nutrients that make eggs a high-quality food for humans are also a good growth medium for bacteria. In addition to food, bacteria also need moisture, a favorable temperature and time in order to multiply and increase the risk of illness. In the rare event that an egg contains bacteria, you can reduce the risk by proper chilling and eliminate it by proper cooking. When you handle eggs with care, they pose no greater food-safety risk than any other perishable food. The inside of an egg was once considered almost sterile. But, over recent years, the bacterium Salmonella enteritidis (Se) has been found inside a small number of eggs. Scientists estimate that, on average across the U.S., only 1 of every 20,000 eggs might contain the bacteria. So, the likelihood that an egg might contain Se is extremely small – 0.005% (five one-thousandths of one percent). At this rate, if you’re an average consumer, you might encounter a contaminated egg once every 84 years. Other types of microorganisms could be deposited along with dirt on the outside of an egg. So, in the U.S., eggshells are washed and sanitized to remove possible hazards. You can further protect yourself and your family by discarding eggs that are unclean, cracked, broken or leaking and making sure you and your family members use good hygiene practices, including properly washing your hands and keeping them clean. Q: Are eggs the only source of Salmonella bacteria? A: No. Salmonella bacteria are widely found in nature and easily spread. The bacteria can be found in the intestinal tracts of animals, birds, reptiles, insects and people. While the egg itself may not be contaminated when you buy it, it can become contaminated from various sources, such as hands, pets, other foods and kitchen equipment, too. Q: Doesn't the eggshell protect an egg from bacteria? A: Yes and no. The egg has many natural, built-in barriers to help prevent bacteria from entering and growing. These protect the egg on its way from the hen to your home. But, although it does help, the porous shell itself is not a foolproof bacterial barrier. For further safety, government regulations require that eggs be carefully washed with special detergent and sanitized. A: Other protective barriers include the shell and yolk membranes and layers of the white which fight bacteria in several ways. The structure of the shell membranes helps prevent the passage of bacteria. The shell membranes also contain lysozyme, a substance that helps prevent bacterial infection. The yolk membrane separates the nutrient-rich yolk from the white. In addition to containing antibacterial compounds such as lysozyme, layers of the white discourage bacterial growth because they are alkaline, bind nutrients bacteria need and/or don’t provide nutrients in a form that bacteria can use. The thick white discourages the movement of bacteria. The last layer of white is composed of thick ropey strands which have little of the water that bacteria need but a high concentration of the white’s protective materials. This layer holds the yolk centered in the egg where it receives the maximum protection from all the other layers. Q: Are Salmonella bacteria most likely to be found in the egg's white or yolk? A: Bacteria, if they are present at all, are most likely to be in the white and will be unable to grow, mostly due to lack of nutrients. As the egg ages, however, the white thins and the yolk membrane weakens. This makes it possible for bacteria to reach the nutrient-dense yolk where they can grow over time if the egg is kept at warm temperatures. But, in a clean, uncracked, fresh shell egg, internal contamination occurs only rarely. Q: Does a blood spot mean an egg is contaminated? A: No. You can’t see bacteria with the naked eye. Blood or meat spots are occasionally found on an egg yolk and are merely an error on the part of the hen. They’re caused by the rupture of a blood vessel on the yolk surface when it’s being formed or by a similar accident in the wall of the oviduct. Most eggs with blood spots are detected by electronic spotters and never reach the market. But, 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. Q: Are the twisted, ropey strands of egg white safe? A: Yes. These strands are the chalazae which anchor the yolk in the center of the thick white. They’re composed of nutritious egg albumen and do not indicate contamination. In fact, the more prominent the chalazae, the fresher the egg. These natural parts of the egg don’t interfere with cooking or beating of the white and you don’t need to remove them, although some cooks like to strain them from stirred custard. Q: What will happen if I eat an egg containing Salmonella? A: If an egg containing Salmonella has been kept refrigerated and someone who uses good hygiene practices serves it to you immediately after proper cooking, you’ll simply have a nutritious meal. If the egg has been improperly handled, though, you might experience the foodborne illness called salmonellosis. You could have symptoms of abdominal cramps, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, chills, fever and/or headache within 6 to 72 hours after eating. The symptoms usually last only a day or two in healthy people but can lead to serious complications for the very young, pregnant women, the elderly, the ill and those with immune system disorders. Anyone who has had salmonellosis may pass along the bacteria for several weeks after recovering, but salmonellosis is seldom fatal. While the risk of getting salmonellosis is very small, there’s no need to take chances because cooking kills Salmonella. Q: What usually causes salmonellosis? A: Salmonellosis outbreaks are most often associated with animal foods, including chicken, eggs, pork and cheese, but have also been reported related to cantaloupe, tomatoes, alfalfa sprouts, orange juice and cereal among other foods. Human carriers play a big role in transmitting some types of salmonellosis. Salmonella bacteria can easily spread from one food to another, too. The majority of reported salmonellosis outbreaks involving eggs or egg-containing foods have occurred in foodservice kitchens and were the result of inadequate refrigeration, improper handling and insufficient cooking. If not properly handled, Salmonella bacteria can double every 20 minutes and a single bacterium can multiply into more than a million in 6 hours. But, properly prepared egg recipes served in individual portions and promptly eaten are rarely a problem. You can ensure that your eggs will maintain their high quality and safety by using good hygiene, cooking, refrigeration and handling practices. Q: What is being done about Salmonella in eggs? A: The egg industry, the public health community and government agencies have been working diligently to deal with Salmonella enteritidis. Egg industry programs start by keeping breeder flocks free of Salmonella. Ongoing research is dedicated to discovering how Se gets into flocks and how it might be blocked. The industry also uses strict quality-control practices and sanitation procedures all through production, processing and preparation. This includes testing chicks to be sure they’re free of Salmonella, bio-security (such as washing and sanitizing not only the eggs, but facilities, too) and other measures. To block Se from multiplying in the egg in the rare event it’s present, eggs are held at cool temperatures following packing and throughout transportation. Important, too, are industry education programs which encourage food preparers to use safe food-handling practices. Along with state representatives, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are developing new national standards with the aim of reducing and eventually eliminating egg-related salmonellosis. The strategies will include a scientific, risk-based, farm-to-table plan covering production, processing, transport, storage, retail handling and delivery. The plan will also include education on the responsibilities of consumers, inspectors and food handlers at all levels. Q: How can I protect myself and my family from foodborne illness? A: Along with other food and food-related organizations as well as government food and education agencies, American Egg Board is a founding member of the Partnership for Food Safety Education. This unique industry and government coalition has the aim of informing consumers about safe food-handling practices through the Fight BAC!™campaign. By following the Fight BAC!™ recommendations to clean, separate, cook and chill, you can help prevent BAC from causing foodborne illness.

Accept No Substitutes Eggs possess unique nutritional properties and contribute desirable functional attributes unequaled by any single egg alternative. Eggs also contribute a clean, natural image to help create a consumer-friendly ingredient statement for packaged or prepared foods. Eggs possess unique nutritional properties and contribute desirable functional attributes unequaled by any single egg alternative. New research supports a hypothesis that eggs require more than a simple 1:1 substitution with an egg alternative to acquire similar ingredient functionality in many prepared foods. Eggs also contribute a clean, natural image to help create a consumer-friendly ingredient statement for packaged or prepared foods. Egg products are available liquid, frozen or dried for the convenience of the food formulator. Regardless of form, the egg's nutritional and functional qualities remain intact. When properly stored, egg products will maintain a stable shelf life for months. For information about health and nutrition topics, visit the Egg Nutrition Center at www.enc-online.org

Yes But, What about The Cholesterol? For over 25 years eggs have unjustly been the icon for the fat, cholesterol and caloric excesses in the American diet, and the message to limit eggs to lower heart disease risk has been widely circulated. The “dietary cholesterol equals blood cholesterol” view is a standard of dietary recommendations, yet few consider whether the evidence justifies such restrictions. Over 50 years of cholesterol feeding studies show that dietary cholesterol does have a small effect on plasma cholesterol concentrations. Cholesterol feeding studies demonstrate that dietary cholesterol increases both LDL and HDL cholesterol with little change in the important LDL:HDL ratio. In fact, the American Heart Association has revised its dietary guidelines to allow an egg a day in your diet, if the rest of your daily cholesterol intake is limited. Many misconceptions about the function of cholesterol in human nutrition may lead young mothers to be needlessly concerned about providing eggs to their children. Human milk contains more cholesterol than both cow’s milk or infant formula. For the infant who is weaning from breast milk or formula, no significant effect was found in plasma cholesterol levels when infants age 6-12 months when fed a diet including 4 egg yolks a week. As a matter of fact, current American Heart Association recommendations are not to restrict fat in the diets of children under two years old. The benefits derived from cholesterol consumption during early childhood relate to cholesterol’s role in the development of the central nervous system as well as stimulation of enzymes needed for cholesterol degradation. Additionally, when finances are tight, eggs are extremely inexpensive for the powerhouse of nutrition that they are. Eggs are portion sized so there is little wastage and can be refrigerated for up to a month saving many inconvenient trips to the grocery store. Since eggs are so versatile they can be prepared in an infinite number of ways and mixed with so many other healthy ingredients they are sure to keep boredom from interfering with a nutritious intake, and will make you seem like a gourmet chef time and again.

What's in An Egg? What's in an egg? For only 70 calories each, eggs are rich in nutrients. They contain, in varying amounts, almost every essential vitamin and mineral needed by humans as well as several other beneficial food components. Egg protein is the standard by which other protein sources are measured. A large egg contains over six grams of protein. A large egg has 4.5 grams of fat, only 7 percent of the daily value. Only one-third (1.5) grams is saturated fat and 2 grams are mono-unsaturated fat. Nutrition Facts - Large Egg We applaud retailers taking steps to ensure that consumers are educated about the foods available to them and have an easy-to-understand, transparent way of assessing the health attributes of the foods they eat. And, we believe that eggs are a nutritional powerhouse people should know about when making food choices.

Egg Product Nutrition & Trends The American Egg Board develops single-focused information on a variety of functionality and egg nutrition topics. These topics are important to food formulators as they must consider each and every ingredient and how it performs functionally and nutritionally. Topics such as satiety, sodium reduction, gluten-free products, clean labels, and better-for-you-foods are all important to consumers. The following supplements seek to provide information relevant to these topics. Super Powers, Simple Ingredients Sodium Reduction An Expert's POV on Gluten-Free and Soy Allergens Accept No Substitutes Every Body Every Age The Secret's Out of the Shell Egg-cellent Foods, Egg-cellent Proteins Gluten-Free Comfort In Eggs Boomer Health Find True Satisfaction

Every Body Every Age Life Stage Foods Eggs Deliver Necessary Nutrition As a natural source of many vitamins and minerals, eggs have something for everyone and can be a valuable asset in the development of food products to meet consumer needs. Eggs are a naturally nutrient-dense food, containing varying amounts of 13 essential nutrients. In particular, they are an 'excellent' source of choline and selenium, and a 'good' source of high-quality protein, vitamin B12, phosphorus and riboflavin. These nutrients are important to the entire population with select nutrients attractive to specific demographics. For example, the high-quality protein in eggs helps kids grow and gives them energy to stay focused. Eggs are an excellent source of choline, a nutrient making headlines regarding its role in fetal brain development. For active adults, egg protein builds muscle, provides sustained energy and satisfies hunger longer. Eggs help aging Baby Boomers optimize muscle function and help prevent sarcopenia, or loss of lean muscle tissue. Depending on consumer concerns or preferences, such as convenience, nutrition or taste, formulators can meet consumer demands by delivering new food products based on egg ingredients. For information about health and nutrition topics, visit the Egg Nutrition Center at www.enc-online.org

Egg Nutrient Chart Nutrient Content of a Large Egg Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 2010. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 23. Nutrient Data Laboratory Home Page: http://www.ars.usda.gov/nutrientdata Discrepencies between nutrient levels in the white+yolk vs. the whole egg are due to sampling error.

Bacon, Spinach and Sweet Onion Quiche Ingredients & Directions Crust Preheat oven to 350˚F. Whisk together flour, thyme, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Whisk together olive oil and water, and pour over dry ingredients, stirring with a fork until moistened. Press crumb mixture into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Crimp the edge or flatten with the tines of a fork. All-purpose flour 2 cups Chopped fresh thyme leaves 2 Tbsp sugar 1 tsp Salt 1/2 tsp Baking powder 3/8 tsp Olive oil 7 Tbsp Cold water 1/4 cup INGREDIENTS: Filling Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 6 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in skillet; discard any remaining drippings. Crumble bacon, and set aside. Add onion to drippings in skillet, and saute over medium heat about 8 minutes or until tender and golden brown. Add spinach, and cook, tossing frequently, just until spinach wilts. Spread spinach mixture over crust in pie plate; top with crumbled bacon. Whisk together eggs, milk, mustard, salt, and paprika. Pour egg mixture over spinach layer in pie plate. Crumble goat cheese over the top of the quiche. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until set in the center. To check for doneness, just use an oven mitt to give the oven rack a shake, and you’ll know the quiche is done when it no longer jiggles in the center. Remove from oven, cool slightly, then cut into 6 wedges and serve.

Product & Industry Opportunities Products & Industry Opportunities The functional attributes of egg products have beneficial uses in a variety of industries, both food and non-food related. Such properties as emulsification, coagulation, adhesion, and binding are critical to the success of many of the food products we eat every day. Eggs provide other functions such as calcium and protein to animal feed, whites in cosmetics, yolks in shampoos and conditioners, and as a culture medium in science and research. Industry BAKING Product Usage: Breads, pastries, custards, cakes, cookies Functional Rationale: Adds richness, increases volume, and improves machine flexibility DAIRY Product Usage: Ice cream, frozen desserts Functional Rationale: Improves texture, decreases melting point, eliminates crystallization CONFECTIONERY Product Usage: Bars, fondants, fillings Functional Rationale: Improves interior texture, stabilizes, adds richness and flavor SAUES Product Usage: Mayonnaise, salad dressings, dips, and prepared foods Functional Rationale: Binds sauces and emulsifies mixtures of oil and water MEAL REPLACEMENTS Product Usage: Energy bars for active and elderly Functional Rationale: Provides excellent protein source, as well as other functional benefits BEVERAGES Product Usage: Pourable yogurts, dietary drinks, and alcoholic beverages Functional Rationale: Adds creamy texture and clarifies certain wines and juices PREPARED FOODS Product Usage: An ingredient in frozen and prepared entrées and side dishes Functional Rationale: Improves texture and freeze/thaw microwave capabilities NUTRACEUTICALS Product Usage: A protein supplement and a source for extraction of beneficial substances Functional Rationale: Used for the extraction of lysozyme and other substances, such as yolk lecithin and sialic acid Baking FOSTINGS Product Usage: Thickens frostings and fillings Functional Rationale: Coagulates and creates firm, smooth base BREADS Product Usage: Standard breads and buns Functional Rationale: Used as an egg wash to brown the crust and for flavor and structure in specialty breads and rolls SWEET GOODS Product Usage: Egg custard fillings and tarts Functional Rationale: Gels filling and adds color and richness to mass, excellent emulsifier CAKES Product Usage: Cakes of all sorts Functional Rationale: Aeration adds volume, height, and builds ingredients into product matrix. Provide structure COOKIES & SPECIALTY ITEMS Product Usage: Meringues and other items where lighter texture is required Functional Rationale: Allows for aeration of baked goods. Provides structural benefits MUFFINS & POPOVERS Product Usage: Unique pastry effect obtainable only through use of eggs Functional Rationale: Binds and produces desirable texture and mouthfeel. Aeration builds volume FROZEN PRODUCTS Product Usage: Frozen dough and other items to control crystallization Functional Rationale: Creates desirable characteristics in reheating and baking HEALTHY SNACK BARS Product Usage: Protein-rich meal replacement bar Functional Rationale: One of the highest-quality protein sources available Other Industries COSMETICS Product Usage: The white is a popular ingredient for facial masks. The yolk is used in shampoos and conditioners. SCIENCE Product Usage: Both yolk and white are excellent culture media for laboratory growth of microorganisms. ANIMAL FEED & PET FOOD Product Usage: Ground dried shells are fed to laying hens as a source of calcium and protein. Egg is used to feed laboratory animals when a protein reference is required. Yolks and whites are used in pet foods. EGG PROTEINS Product Usage: Lysozyme is an excellent antibacterial agent in all foods. Avidin-biotin technology is used in medical diagnostic applications like immunology, gene probes, and histopathology. VACCINE MANUFACTURE Product Usage: Eggs provide an excellent medium for the growth of viruses for making vaccines.

Health & Nutrition New USDA study shows eggs have 14% less cholesterol and more vitamin D. The amount of cholesterol in a single large egg has decreased by 14 percent according to the new United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) nutrition data*. Consuming an egg a day fits easily within dietary guidance, which recommends limiting cholesterol consumption to 300 mg per day. Egg Nutrients Egg Nutrient Chart Here's to your health Cracking the Cholesterol Myth Research Snapshot What the Numbers Reveal