Easter Eggs

Eggs were colored, blessed, exchanged and eaten as part of the rites of spring long before Christian times. Even the earliest civilizations held springtime festivals to welcome the sun's rising from its long winter sleep. They thought of the sun's return from darkness as an annual miracle and regarded the egg as a natural wonder and a proof of the renewal of life. As Christianity spread, the egg was adopted as a symbol of Christ's Resurrection from the tomb.

For centuries, eggs were among the foods forbidden by the church during Lent, so it was a special treat to have them again at Easter. In Slavic countries, baskets of food including eggs are traditionally taken to church to be blessed on Holy Saturday or before the Easter midnight Mass, then taken home for a part of Easter breakfast.

People in central European countries have a long tradition of elaborately decorated Easter eggs. Polish, Slavic and Ukrainian people create amazingly intricate designs on the eggs. They draw lines with a wax pencil or stylus, dip the egg in color and repeat the process many times to make true works of art. Every dot and line in the pattern has a meaning. Yugoslavian Easter eggs bear the initials "XV" for "Christ is Risen," a traditional Easter greeting.

The Russians, during the reign of the tsars, celebrated Easter much more elaborately than Christmas, with Easter breads and other special foods and quantities of decorated eggs given as gifts. The Russian royal family carried the custom to great lengths, giving exquisitely detailed jeweled eggs made by goldsmith Carl Faberge from the 1880's until 1917.

In Germany and other countries of central Europe, eggs that go into Easter foods are not broken, but emptied out. The empty shells are painted and decorated with bits of lace, cloth or ribbon, then hung with ribbons on an evergreen or small leafless tree. On the third Sunday before Easter, Moravian village girls used to carry a tree decorated with eggshells and flowers from house to house for good luck. The eggshell tree is one of several Easter Traditions carried to America by German settlers especially those who became known as Pennsylvania Dutch. They also brought the fable that the Easter bunny delivered colored eggs for good children.

Easter is an especially happy time for children and many Easter customs are for their enjoyment. Hunting Easter eggs hidden around the house or yard is a universal custom and so are egg-rolling contests.
~see "Blown-Out" Eggshells, Decorating Eggs, Games

Egg Money

Before World War II, most eggs were produced by small flocks that scratched their way around the barnyard. The farmer's wife usually supervised the operation. The money received from the sale of the eggs was considered hers.

Eggnog

A beverage of eggs, milk, sugar and flavoring. Rich cream may take the place of part or all of the milk. Spirits are often added at holiday time. Eggnog may be served hot or cold, but it should be prepared as a stirred custard.

The name may come from the noggin or small cup in which it was served in earlier days.
~see Custard, Raw Egg

Egg Nutrition Center

The nutrition organization for the egg industry. ENC was created in 1984 to provide scientifically correct information on egg nutrition and accompanying health issues. The Center is a cooperative project of the American Egg Board and the United Egg Producers. Located in Washington, D.C., the Egg Nutrition Center communicates regularly with industry, government, the media and health and nutrition communities.

Since cholesterol is an important public health and nutrition concern, much of the Center's activity focuses on this complicated issue. A panel of independent scientists advises the Egg Nutrition Center and provides interpretation of current scientific literature. The Center is dedicated to providing balance, accurate information on the complex issues surrounding cholesterol and heart disease.

Egg Products

Processed and convenience forms of eggs for commercial, foodservice and home use. These are refrigerated liquid, frozen, dried and specialty products. Many egg products are comparable in flavor, nutritional value and most functional properties to shell eggs. Convenience foods such as cake and pudding mixes, pasta, ice cream, mayonnaise, candies and bakery goods utilize egg products. Egg products are frequently preferred to shell eggs by commercial bakers, food manufacturers and the foodservice industry because they have many advantages including convenience, labor savings, minimal storage requirements, ease of portion control, and product quality, stability and uniformity.

Surplus shell eggs, as well as those produced particularly for the purpose, are used in making eggs products. In 1992, about 20% of the total U.S. egg production went into egg products. About 3/4 billion pounds of all types of egg products are produced each year in the U.S.

Since passage of the Egg Product Inspection Act (EPIA) in 1970, all plants that make egg products operate under continuous USDA inspection. Under this Act, pasteurization of all egg products is mandatory.

Shell eggs used for egg products must be clean and of edible interior quality.

Processing egg products. When shell eggs are delivered to the breaking plant, they are put into refrigerated holding rooms. Before breaking, they are   washed in water at least 20 degrees warmer than that of the egg and spray-rinsed with a sanitizing agent. They may be moist, but not wet, when they are broken.

Refrigerated liquid products Eggs are broken and separated, if necessary, by machines and the liquid egg put into covered containers. At this point, they may be shipped to bakeries or other outlets for immediate use or to other plants for further processing. Shipment is in sanitary tank trucks maintaining temperatures low enough to assure that the liquid egg arrives at its destination at 40ºF. (4ºC.) or less. Wholesale and food-service refrigerated products are also available in 30-pound cans and 4-, 5-, 8- and 10-pound cartons.

Retail consumer refrigerated products are generally available in one- or two-pack cartons containing 8 to 16 ounces each.

Keep liquid egg products under refrigeration. Shelf life can vary, so check the label of the products you are using. Once opened, use immediately.

Frozen egg products These include separated whites and yolks, whole eggs, blends of whole eggs and yolks or whole eggs and milk and these same blends of whole eggs and yolks or whole eggs and milk and these same blends with sugar, corn syrup or salt added. Salt or carbohydrates are sometimes added to yolks and whole eggs to prevent gelation during freezing. Frozen egg products are generally packed in 30-pound cans and in 4-, 5-, 8- and 10-pound pouches or waxed or plastic cartons. Some retail consumer products are available frozen in one- or two-pack cartons containing 8 to 16 ounces each.

Frozen egg products should be kept frozen or refrigerated until used. They should be thawed under refrigeration or under cold running water in unopened containers. After defrosting, they should be refrigerated and used within 3 days.

Dried or dehydrated egg products  Known also as egg solids, these have been produced in the united States since 1930, but demand was minimal until World War II when production reached peak levels to meet military and lend-lease requirements. While quality of the early product was poor, it has now been greatly improved. Dried egg products are used in a wide number of convenience foods and in the foodservice industry. With the exception of some camping supply store, dried eggs are not available at present on the retail market. Dried eggs for foodservice use are sold in 6-ounce pouches, number 10 cans and 3-pound and 25-pound poly-packs. For commercial use, 25- and 50-pound boxes and 150-, 175- and 200-pound drums are available.

Unopened dried egg products should be stored in a cool (below 70ºF.), dry place away from light. Opened containers should be tightly sealed and refrigerated.

Specialty egg products  Egg specialties processed for the foodservice industry include wet-pack and dry-pack pre-peeled hard-cooked eggs, either whole, wedged, sliced, chopped or pickled; long rolls of hard-cooked eggs; frozen omelets; egg patties; quiche and quiche mix; frozen French toast; frozen scrambled egg mix in boilable pouch; frozen fried eggs; frozen pre-cooked scrambled eggs; freeze-dried scrambled eggs and other convenience menu items.

In the near future, innovative egg products such as ultra-pasteurized liquid egg, free-flowing frozen egg pellets and modified atmosphere packaging for hard-cooked eggs are expected to become available.

Many specialty egg items are reaching the retail market as well including frozen omelets and mixes; frozen scrambled eggs, French toast and quiche; and specially coated shelf-stable hard-cooked eggs.

~see Breakers, Egg Products Inspection Act, Egg Roll, Restricted Eggs

Egg Products Inspection Act

A program to assure wholesome shell eggs and egg products in the marketplace. Passed by Congress in December, 1970, the Egg Products Inspection Act is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and imposes specific inspection requirements for the two categories of eggs—egg products and shell eggs.

The Act gives enforcement authority to the USDA and to the Food and Drug Administration. Federal agriculture officials or state officials acting on behalf of USDA visit egg packers and hatcheries at least every three months to see that they are in compliance with the law. Firms which transport, ship or receive shell eggs and egg products may also be checked  periodically.

Under the Egg Products Inspection Act, plants that break, dry and process shell eggs into liquid, frozen or dried egg products must operate under the continuous inspection program of the USDA. An official inspector must be present at all times when eggs are being processed. The law applies to all egg-breaking plants, regardless of size, and to those selling products locally, across state lines and in foreign commerce.

Disposition of undesirable shell eggs is controlled to prevent their entering consumer food channels.
~see Egg Products, Grading, Restricted Eggs

Egg Roll

Egg Salad

A popular combination of chopped hard-cooked eggs, a moistener such as mayonnaise and seasonings, often served as a sandwich filling or in scooped-out tomatoes or lettuce cups.

Egg Substitutes

Liquid egg products formulated as substitutes for whole eggs. Such products contain egg white. The yolk is replaced with other ingredients such as non-fat milk, tofu, vegetable oils, emulsifiers, stabilizers, antioxidants, gum, artificial color, minerals and vitamins.

Equinox

Either of the two times each year when the sun crosses the equator and day and night are of equal length everywhere. During the spring (vernal) equinox (about March 21), it is said that an egg will stand on its small end. Although some people have reported success, it is not known whether such results were due to the equinox or to the peculiarities of that particular egg. Others insist that some eggs will stand on their small ends at any time of the year.

Expiration Date

A date on an egg carton beyond which the eggs should not be sold. ~see Carton Dates