Delicooks

The egg (ovum) is a cell that emerges from the female reproductive organ, the ovary. It contains all the substances necessary for the formation of a new organism, which is why it is very rich in nutrients.
According to the Spanish Codex Alimentarius (CAE), the name egg refers exclusively to the  hen’s egg, and all others must be accompanied by the name of the species concerned, such as  those from other poultry such as ducks, geese, quail, pheasant, ostrich or turkey.
Here’ll you’ll find some general information about eggs, and you can see the detailed files on each. at this link (Would have to link when published)

Characteristics of the egg

An egg has different distinct parts:
The shell, its protection from the outside, formed by a matrix of proteins and minerals, especially calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. A shell has thousands of funnel-shaped pores, filled with protein fibers that hinder the entry of microorganisms. It is therefore important not to wash eggs when storing them in order to maintain this protection. The color of the shell does not have any bearing on the nutritional characteristics of the egg, and there is no evidence to suggest that brown eggs are better than white.

The egg white or albumen has a gel-like structure nearer the surface, but gradually becomes more fluid. Chalazae, are twisted strands of egg white that anchor the yolk in place. The egg white is rich in proteins and water.

At the center is the yolk, its color varies from light yellow to reddish orange, depending on the amount of pro-vitamin that contains. And this can vary according to the animal feed. The yolk is rich in lecithin and lipids, and cholesterol. It is more digestible than the white.

Buying eggs?

The shell must be clean and undamaged. The store should keep them out of the refrigerator while we should keep them in the refrigerator at home.

They are classified by categories according to their freshness, the best being category A and A extra. In addition,  egg shells are now printed with a code.

The first digit provides information on the farming of chicken: . 0 = organic. 1 = free range. 2 = barn. 3 = cage. The next two digits identify the country of the European Union. The code for Spain is "ES." The following digits indicate the number of the ID producer, the code of the province, with two figures, and the code of the municipality where the egg was laid, which are the next three digits.

How to store eggs

Eggs must be kept in the refrigerator without major changes in temperature. At home they should be kept a maximum of 2-3 weeks. If they are labeled with a use-by date, you should follow this.


Cooking eggs

There are few products as complete. nutritionally speaking, and versatile in the kitchen as eggs. Its neutral but recognizable flavor means it goes great with nearly any ingredient. The star dish is, of course, the tortilla, and anyone can improvise with new combinations that almost always will turn out great. The required amount for each recipe depends on the size of the egg, and the bird it comes from.

Eggs can be eaten hot, warm or cold. It is important to check they’re done exactly right: too much cooking will give them a tasteless, rubbery texture but if the white doesn’t set enough, it wiill be indigestible and hinder the absorption of vitamin B6.

Did you know?

There is a thin delicate air cell between the inner and outer membrane just under the shell  The size of chamber changes over time and is thus a good indicator of freshness.