Egg cartons used to be so simple - an off-white carton printed with the egg size and possibly a farm name. Today, walking past the egg section in the dairy case is quite a different picture - new fangled plastic containers with brightly-colored imagery packed with claims and commentary fill most of the shelves. While the updated packaging is nice to look at, all of the jargon and phrases on this packaging is downright confusing. What does it all mean?

In the past few years, the egg industry has come under consumer scrutiny. Most eggs come from hens that are raised in crowded, caged habitats which many people consider inhumane. In addition, more and more consumers are learning that the quality of feed a hen eats has a direct relationship to the nutritional value of the egg it lays. These two concerns have led egg producers to add many labels and phrases on their cartons of eggs. These labels refer to two primary subjects:

• The humane treatment of the hens
• The type of feed that hens are fed

An Organic label on eggs is the only statement that refers to both subjects:

Treatment: Access to outside, walk around inside barns
Feed: organic, all-vegetarian diet free of antibiotics and pesticides
Certification/Audit: USDA Certified Organic Program

Labels related to treatment of the hens:

Certified Humane: Walk around inside barns with certification by Humane Farm Animal Care Certification

Cage-free: Walk around inside barns. No outside certification or audit system.

Free-Range or Free-Roaming: Walk around inside barns and access to outside. No outside certification or audit system.

Labels related to the type of feed that hens are fed:

Omega-3 Enriched: High Omega-3 ingredients, such as flaxseed, in the hen feed.

| Continued >>