Chicken eggs – Learn about Chicken eggs from inside to eating – Varieties of Eggs

Chicken eggs – Learn about Chicken eggs

Learning about Chicken eggs, Eggs are laid by female animals of many different species, including birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish, and have been eaten by humans for thousands of years. Bird and reptile eggs consist of a protective eggshell, albumen (egg white), and vitellus (egg yolk), contained within various thin membranes. The most popular choice for egg consumption are chicken eggs. Other popular choices for egg consumption are duck, quail, roe, and caviar.

Egg yolks and whole eggs store significant amounts of protein and choline, and are widely used in cookery. Due to their protein content, the United States Department of Agriculture categorizes eggs as Meats within the Food Guide Pyramid. Despite the nutritional value of eggs, there are some potential health issues arising from egg quality, storage, and individual allergies.

Chickens and other egg-laying creatures are widely kept throughout the world, and mass production of chicken eggs is a global industry. In 2009, an estimated 62.1 million metric tons of eggs were produced worldwide from a total laying flock of approximately 6.4 billion hens. There are issues of regional variation in demand and expectation, as well as current debates concerning methods of mass production. In 2012, the European Union banned battery husbandry of chickens.

Varieties of Eggs used in cooking

Quail eggs, chicken eggs and ostrich eggs, Bird eggs are a common food and one of the most versatile ingredients used in cooking. They are important in many branches of the modern food industry.

The most commonly used bird eggs are those from the chicken. Duck and goose eggs, and smaller eggs, such as quail eggs, are occasionally used as a gourmet ingredient in western countries. Eggs are a common everyday food in many parts of Asia, such as China and Thailand, with Asian production providing 59% of the world total in 2013.

The largest bird eggs, from ostriches, tend to be used only as special luxury food. Gull eggs are considered a delicacy in England, as well as in some Scandinavian countries, particularly in Norway. In some African countries, guineafowl eggs are commonly seen in marketplaces, especially in the spring of each year. Pheasant eggs and emu eggs are edible, but less widely available.  Sometimes they are obtainable from farmers, poulterers, or luxury grocery stores. In many countries, wild birds’ eggs are protected by laws which prohibit collecting or selling them, or permit collection only during specific periods of the year.