March 14, 2002

Prairie Fare: All About Eggs

By Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist
NDSU Extension Service

Chickens shared a ship with Columbus on his second trip to America in 1493, and they’ve been providing nutritious food for Americans ever since. Currently there are enough laying hens in the U.S. for every man, woman and child to have their own personal hen. That adds up to about 240 million hens producing about 50 billion eggs annually.

Eggs have weathered lots of controversy because of their cholesterol content, but critics have eased up on eggs in recent years. Research has shown that cholesterol in food does not necessarily raise blood cholesterol levels significantly. Saturated fat, the kind that’s solid at room temperature, is more closely associated with raising blood cholesterol levels.

In fact, unless your doctor or dietitian advises otherwise, eating an egg a day is reasonable. It’s best to prepare eggs without a lot of added fat, however. Eggs are the gold standard for nutrition, providing the highest quality, most digestible protein and every essential vitamin and mineral, except for vitamin C.

On the other hand, eggs can be a source of Salmonella, a type of bacteria associated with many foodborne illness outbreaks. Salmonella can be found on the shell or within the egg, which has prompted some changes in egg handling rules for the egg industry. Eating food contaminated with Salmonella can result in flu-like symptoms within six to 72 hours of eating the food. Among vulnerable people, such as children and the elderly, the symptoms can be life threatening. Some researchers also have linked Salmonella infections with development of arthritis.

An estimated one in 20,000 eggs contains Salmonella, but the trouble is, you never know if you have the "lucky one." It’s safest to treat all eggs carefully. Don’t eat foods containing raw or undercooked eggs. Yes, that includes raw cookie dough. Eggs can be a source of cross contamination, so wash your hands before and after handling eggs. Carefully clean up spills associated with eggs. Cook all egg-containing foods to at least 160 F.

When buying fresh eggs, check the "sell-by" date on the carton, which indicates the last date a store should sell the eggs. Refrigerated eggs will be safe to use about a month beyond the date listed on the carton. It’s best to ignore the egg storage area on your refrigerator door, because the temperature will vary in the door. Store eggs in their carton away from foods with strong smells, like fresh fish and onions.

Eggs have been colored and exchanged in celebration of spring for centuries.

Should eggs be "hard-cooked" or "hard-boiled?" It depends on whether you like "green eggs" with your ham. Boiling eggs can result in an unattractive green ring around the yolk. To hard-cook eggs, place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan. Add enough water to come at least 1 inch above eggs. Cover and quickly bring just to boiling. Turn off heat. If necessary, remove pan from burner to prevent further boiling. Let eggs stand, covered, in hot water about 15 minutes for large eggs. Adjust time up or down by about three minutes for each size larger or smaller. Immediately run cold water over eggs or place them in ice water until completely cooled.

Hard-cooked eggs should spend no more than two hours at room temperature. If you want to use colored eggs as a table centerpiece, use the plastic ones. Keep the real ones in the refrigerator to peel and eat or to use in recipes, such as the following one.

Egg Salad Italia

1/2 c. reduced fat Italian dressing
1/2 tsp. oregano leaves, crushed
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
8 oz. spiral pasta or elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
2 c. sliced zucchini (1-2 small zucchini)
1 1/2 c. sliced fresh mushrooms
1/3 c. red onion, chopped
4 hard-cooked eggs, wedged

In large bowl, stir together dressing, oregano and garlic powder until well blended. Stir in pasta, zucchini, mushrooms and onion until evenly coated with dressing. Cover and chill to blend flavors. Just before serving, gently toss with eggs until evenly coated with dressing.

Makes 4 servings. Each serving contains 350 calories and 
10 grams of fat.

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Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu