An Egg...!

Eggs are the versatile ingredients and are used extensively in hors d’oeuvres,meat and poultry dished, soups,pasta,egg dishes,salads, fish dishes, sweets and pastries, sauces and savories. They are useful as a main dish as they provide the energy, fat, minerals and vitamins needed for growth and repair of the body.

The structure of an egg

The outer shell is composed mainly of calcium carbonate, they are lined with membranes and have a number of ores for gas exchange.The pores are covered by a was like layer known as the cuticle. The cuticle protects against microbial invasion and control water loss.

The egg white is divided into a thick layer around the yolk and a thinner layer next to the shell. The thick layer anchors the yolk together with the chalaza in the middle of the egg.

Egg yolks are high in saturated fat, while egg white are made up of protein and water.

The composition of eggs (apx  in %)

	Whole Egg	White	Yolk
Water	73	87	47
Protein	12	10	15
Fat	11	0	33
Minerals	1	0.5	2
Vitamins	3	2.5	3

Types of eggs:

l Chicken Eggs

l Quail Eggs

l Duck Eggs

l Caviar

l Goose Eggs

l Turkey Eggs

l Ostrich Eggs

l EMU eggs

Quality check during purchase

l The egg should be clean , well shaped , strong and slightly rough.

l When eggs are broken there should be high proportion of thick white gradually change into thine white.

l The yolk should be firm , round ( not flattened) and of a good , even color.

l Always purchase fresh egg from source where there is no salmonella contamination or from a low-risk supplier.

l Cracked eggs should not be used.

  *Salmonella : Salmonella infection (salmonellosis) is a common bacterial disease that affects the intestinal tract. Salmonella are commonly associated with eggs, meat and poultry.

Quality Grading

Grade A : Naturally clean fresh eggs, internally perfect with intact shell and an air sac not exceeding 6 mm in depth.

Grade B : Egg that have been downgraded because they have been cleaned or preserved, or because they are internally imperfect, cracked or have an air exceeding 6 mm but not more than 9 mm in depth.

Grade C : Egg that are fit for breaking for manufacturing purposes but cannot be sold in their shells to the public.

Sizes

Hens eggs are now graded in four size :

Egg Size	Weight	Old size
Very large	73g	Size 0 to size 1
Large	63g-73g	Size 1 to size 3
Medium	53g-63g	Size 3 to size 5
small	53g and under	Size 5 to size 7

Preparing and cooking eggs

Cooking eggs using different methods will affect the taste and texture. Egg dishes can very flavorsome and use a range of herbs and spices, especially when preparing scrambled eggs and omelette.

It's an advise that eggs should be cooked well done and should reach an internal temperature of 72 ℃.

Health and safety

Hands should be washed before and after handling eggs.

Preparation surface, utensils and containers should be cleaned regularly and always cleaned between preparation of different dishes.

Healthy option when making egg dishes "When preparing egg dished such as omelette or scrambled eggs use olive oil instead of butter."

Holding and serving temperature

It is best that eggs are cooked to order and are cooked through. Do not leave eggs cooked and on a hot buffet for long period - leave for not more that than 20 minutes

Egg dishes should be consumed as soon as possible after preparation or. If not for immediate use , refrigerated at 5℃ or below.

Mention your favorite egg dishes in the comment section. ↓↓↓

Thank You..!