Hen to Home

Before the egg on your plate ever left the supermarket, it went on an incredible journey. It was:

Laid – In a controlled environment, a hen was fed a healthful diet of specially mixed grain and then laid the egg.

Collected – At a modern egg farm, the egg dropped automatically from the hen’s cage to a conveyor belt below or was mechanically collected from a special nest.

Washed – The collected egg was washed and sanitized.

Oiled – The washed and sanitized egg was lightly coated with a harmless, invisible oil to seal the shell pores, slow down aging and prevent bacteria from entering the shell pores.

Candled – After oiling, the egg passed over an intense light and was rotated mechanically so its contents could be examined without cracking its shell. A candler checked the condition of its shell, albumen and yolk. If it didn’t meet grade requirements for AA, A or B, it was removed.

Graded – Once it passed the candling tests, the egg was graded AA, A or B.

Sized – The graded egg was weighed to determine its size so it could join other eggs of a similar weight to make up a specific minimum weight per dozen.

Packed – To minimize breakage and maintain freshness, the egg was packed in a specially designed carton marked with its grade and size.

Cooled – After packing, the egg was placed in a cooling room with a temperature of 45° F to lower the egg’s temperature and maintain its quality.

Shipped – The cooled egg was shipped in a refrigerated truck and delivered to a store. Like most eggs, it reached the supermarket a few days after it was laid.

Sold – To maintain its freshness, the store kept the egg in a refrigerated display case where it was picked up and purchased by a customer.

Stored – The customer quickly brought the egg home from the store and kept it in its original carton on a refrigerator shelf. Within 4 to 5 weeks of the pack date or 3 to 4 weeks of buying the egg, the customer cooked it and enjoyed the meal!