Eggs aren't all they're cracked up to be

CHOICE tested more than 300 eggs from supermarkets in Adelaide, Brisbane and Sydney, and says, “We were amazed at how many eggs failed an internationally recognised quality test.”

While failing this test can be due to various factors, not only the age of the egg, from the consumer’s perspective eggs with weak and watery whites are undoubtedly of poor quality, says CHOICE. “They don’t fry well, the thin whites don’t whip well, the fragile yolks make it harder to separate the yolk from the white, and it’s almost impossible to poach such an egg because it doesn’t hold together in the water.”

CHOICE also points out that the ‘best-before’ date on egg boxes isn’t as helpful as it should be. “When we last tested eggs, in 1981, 42% failed the quality test compared with 53% this time - and we were surprised then at how many eggs failed.

“In 1981 most states and territories had Egg Boards that controlled distribution and sale. Use-by dates were usually three weeks from the date of packing (and, at most, four weeks from the date of laying). Now, the best-before date is five weeks or more from the date of laying. Deregulation certainly hasn’t benefited consumers in this regard.”

And according to CHOICE, many supermarkets don’t refrigerate their eggs, despite the fact that they’re a perishable commodity. “They start to deteriorate from the time they’re laid, so it’s best to store eggs in the fridge when you get them home - and all supermarkets should be refrigerating them too.”

While there wasn’t a big difference, on average the free-range eggs CHOICE tested were fresher and of better quality than the cage eggs.

So are free-range eggs better? “They tend to have darker shells as well as darker yolks because the hens have access to grass,” says CHOICE. “Many people swear they taste better, but research hasn’t yet shown any real differences between the flavour of free-range and cage eggs. And although one research project in the UK found a little more vitamin B12 and folic acid in free-range eggs, there weren’t enough differences between other nutrients to get excited about.”

However, from a chook welfare viewpoint, the magazine continues, “Many people condemn the cage system as cruel, and nearly 20% of eggs are now produced by free-range or barn chickens.”You’ll pay a little extra for these, though. “On average we paid $3.57 a dozen for cage eggs, $4.83 for barn-laid and $5.38 for free-range eggs,” says CHOICE.

September CHOICE also found safety problems with some pool fences and poor health advice from some pharmacies, and checks the evidence for and against magnet therapy.

Go to choice.com.au for more expert, unbiased advice on appliances, electronics, food and finances. Buy smarter, go to choice.com.au first.