A GOOD EGG
It’s Easter Sunday, and even if the bunny has not left any eggs for you, we are going to roll out a few egg-centric facts
U.S. of Egg
According to the United Egg Producers of America, per capita consumption of eggs has increased 15% in the past 20 years. In 2020, per capita consumption was 286 eggs, slightly less than 2019 due to decreased production due to COVID-19 related issues.
Housing environments
According to the United Egg Producers, the number of hens housed in conventional cage environments is decreasing as some egg producers and retailers, food service providers and food manufacturers transition to cagefree eggs. At the end of 2020, 28% of all hens were in cage-free production, up from 14% in 2016 and 4% in 2010. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service, approximately 66% of U.S. hens must be in cage-free production by 2026 to meet projected demand.
As of March 2021, organic and cage-free shell egg production accounted for 29.3% (96.1 million hens) of the current table egg layer flock. Of this, 6.8% are organic (22.3 million hens) and 22.5% are non-organic cagefree (73.8 million hens
Coop scoop
California law requires a 5-by-12-foot coop to have no more than 60 chickens. That is equal to 1 square foot per chicken.
The five largest shell egg-producing states are home to approximately 44% of all laying hens in the U.S., and the top 10 states comprise 63% of egg production. Most are in the Midwest due to cheaper feed costs. Here are the top 10 states with the most laying hens in 2020:
1. Iowa
2. Ohio
3. Indiana
4. Pennsylvania
5. Texas
6. Georgia
7. Arkansas
8. North Carolina
9. Michigan
10. California
Cool custom
The U.S., Japan, Australia and Scandinavian countries tend to refrigerate eggs. In the 1970s, American producers perfected egg-washing machines with the intent of preventing bacterial outbreaks.
Standard egg sizes
Amount of liquid per egg
Small (1.5 ounces) 50 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, 5 grams of protein
Medium (1.75 ounces) 60 calories, 4 grams of fat, 6 grams of protein
Large (2 ounces)
70 calories, 5 grams of fat, 6 grams of protein
Extra Large (2.25 ounces) 80 calories, 5 grams of fat, 7 grams of protein
Jumbo (2.5 ounces) 90 calories, 6 grams of fat, 8 grams of protein
The large egg size is generally the standard in recipes.