| How to Buy Eggs Posted: Purchasing eggs can be an easy task, you just pick a dozen with no broken ones in and you're done. But it's something every good cook should learn more about, as there are many things you can consider when making your choice. Below are tips on how to purchase eggs. Steps - Decide which kinds of eggs you need. Most people buy chicken eggs, but there are other kinds of eggs available at stores and markets that may better suit your needs:
- Turkey eggs are very similar in nutrition and flavor to chicken eggs, but larger. Since these eggs are difficult to produce on a commercial scale, they are usually not available.[1]
- Duck eggs - These eggs have more protein in the whites and fat in the yolks than chicken eggs[2] so substituting them for chicken eggs in certain recipes is not recommended unless you can adjust accordingly.
- Goose eggs - These have more fat content than chicken eggs, so they can make for richer dishes, but they're not good for frying.[3]
- Ostrich eggs - These massive eggs are usually opened carefully with a hammer. When scrambled, the texture is lighter and fluffier than that of a chicken egg and it has a milder, faintly sweeter taste.[4]
- Quail eggs - They taste pretty much just like chicken eggs, but their small size can make for unique presentation. They are also hard to open without breaking the yolk.[5] Sometimes they are eaten raw in sushi.
- Become familiar with how eggs are graded in your area. Most countries have grading systems for chicken eggs, usually based on weight. See the section below for information from various localities showing the different standards used by consumers to purchase eggs.
- Look further into the standards for "premium" eggs.
- Organic eggs generally come from chickens that are fed organic feed (little or no pesticide and herbicide use, non-GMO) and are not given antibiotics unless necessary to control infection. They are given access to the outdoors for at least some part of the year, although that does not mean they actually go outdoors.[6]
- "Free range" and "cage free" are terms not regulated in the US, which means anyone can label any egg "free range" no matter how the chickens were raised. The best way to determine how the hens are raised is to purchase your eggs from a farmer whose farm you can visit to see for yourself.
- If you will be consuming the egg raw, look for pasteurized eggs. This will help you avoid food poisoning in raw cookie dough, homemade mayonnaise, eggnog or any dish that has uncooked or lightly cooked eggs.
- Look for the numeric number on the package, This is the day number in a year that the eggs were taken. If you want fresh eggs try to find the one with the number closest to the day of your purchase.
Grading Standards US Eggs - Egg packers may elect to use the voluntary United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) grading systems. Eggs packed using the USDA grading system will have the USDA shield on the egg carton with the grade listed.
- Egg packers who do not participate in the USDA grading system will sell eggs without the USDA shield. They are typically monitored by state agencies.
- US egg size are based on weight per dozen. The following sizes of eggs are sold:
- Jumbo --- 30 ounces
- Extra Large --- 27 ounces
- Large --- 24 ounces
- Medium --- 21 ounces
- Small --- 18 ounces
- Peewee --- 15 ounces
- US Egg grading is based on the interior quality of the egg and the eggshell. The following grades of eggs are sold:
- AA --- Egg yolks are from free from defects and stand tall. They will maintain their round shape when the egg is cracked. Egg whites are thick and firm. The egg yolk, white and shell are relatively free from defects.
- A --- Egg yolks will maintain their round shape and stand tall. Egg whites are reasonably firm. The egg yolk, white and shell are relatively free from defects. This is the most commonly sold egg in grocery stores.
- B --- Egg yolks may be flatter and the egg whites not as firm. The egg shells may show signs of slight stains. The egg shells will be unbroken.
- Storage: Purchase eggs from a refrigerator case at the store. Store eggs at home in their original carton, in the refrigerator, for up to five weeks after their purchase.
Canadian Eggs - Canadian eggs are graded in size much like the US, except the weights are given in metric. Canadian eggs range from Peewee to Jumbo. The size of a Pewee egg is 42 grams for one egg and the Jumbo egg weighs in at 70 grams or more in weight. This is weight per egg, not per dozen of eggs.
- Canadian eggs are graded and sold using the following system:
- Grade A --- Clean, uncracked shells that have a round centered yolk. The egg white will be firm.
- Grade B --- Grade B eggs have uncracked shells that could have a rough texture. The yolk is slightly flattened and the white is watery. The Canadian consumer would not usually purchase this grade of egg as it's normally sold for commercial use.
- Grade C --- Egg yolks and whites are loose and watery. These eggs are sold to commercial processors for further processing.
British Eggs - British eggs are sold as A, B or C:
- Class A --- Clean eggs with no less than 4mm of air inside the egg for Extra Fresh eggs. The egg yolks will remain standing and the egg whites will be firm.
- Class B --- Certain eggs or preserved eggs.
- Class C --- Sold for commercial use.
- British eggs are sold as
- Very Large --- 73 grams and over
- Large --- 63-73 grams
- Medium --- 53-63 grams
- Small ---53 grams and under
Australian Eggs - Eggs are sold in the following sizes:
- Jumbo --- 68 grams
- Extra-Large --- 60 grams
- Large --- 52 grams
- Mega or XXXL --- 72 grams (Western Australia only)
- Medium --- 43 grams (Western Australia only)
New Zealand Eggs - Eggs are sold in the following sizes:
- Jumbo --- 68 grams
- Large --- 62 grams
- Standard --- 53 grams
- Medium --- 44 grams
- Pullet --- 35 grams
European Egg Sales - Most eggs sold in European countries are sold by how the eggs were farmed not based on grade of egg as in the US or Canada. Types of farming could include free range, barn laid or organic depending on locality.
Video Tips - There is no nutritional difference between brown or white eggs. The only difference is the shell color.
- Grade B eggs, if you can find them, are fine for baking.
- Large eggs are the eggs most commonly found at the supermarket.
- To tell if an egg is boiled try spinning it. A boiled egg will spin easily while a raw egg will not.
- A fresh egg will sink to the bottom of a bowl of water. An old egg will float. This is because more air is encapsulated in an older egg causing it to float.
- A fresh egg will have a much nicer taste than an older egg because of the enclosed air and its reaction to the proteins and sulfur inside. The best time to eat eggs for taste is within the first 7 to 10 days. Thereafter, they are better for baking or in a more mixed dish.
- When you pick up a carton of eggs, open it and make sure each egg moves freely. Eggs broken on the bottom will adhere to the carton as the white or yolk dries, making them immobile.
Warnings - Always purchase refrigerated eggs. Store eggs promptly in the refrigerator.
Related wikiHows Sources and Citations - USDA [[1] Organic foods program FAQ
- USDA How to Buy Eggs, Home and Garden Bulletin No. 144, Agricultural Marketing Service, December 1981, Issue date: February 1995
- Image:Getfile_136.pdf PDF file from the USDA on purchasing eggs.
- Egg Farmers of Canada [2]
- British Departmentfor Environment Food and Rural Affairs [3]
- Wikipedia [4]
- Eggs.org.au [5]
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| How to Collaborate Posted: With enough hands you can move anything Collaboration is the act of joining together to make possible that which cannot be accomplished alone.[1] Whether you are collaborating in the workplace, in school or as part of a creative project, collaboration can both help and hurt a project, depending on how it's done. Steps As a Group - Have a clear goal in mind. Make sure everyone involved understands what the goal is and believes that the goal is worthwhile. The overarching goal of collaboration is to achieve something together that you would not be able to achieve alone. Sometimes that's in the nature of the finished product, but other times the gain is efficiency. Either way, the people who are collaborating should have some kind of shared vision. It may be helpful to make your first collaboration a mission statement.
- Create a results-driven structure within your team that is appropriate for the goal you want to achieve. There are three kinds of teams that are commonly used, based on the type of results desired:
- Problem resolution teams The problem solvers. In order for this team to work, it's especially important that members are able to trust their co-collaborators in a secure atmosphere where they feel respected. Brainstorming should be encouraged, which means people must be able to suggest ideas without fear of getting immediately criticized.
- Creative teams The innovators. This team needs to be independent of established systems and procedures, enabling them to explore new possibilities and alternatives.
- Tactical teams The implementers. This team needs to have a well-defined plan.
- Give each member of the project a way to define his or her own role on the team. One way to approach this is to write down all the tasks that need to get carried out. For each task, ask who's interested in that task, and write their names next to it. Ideally, everyone will gravitate towards different roles, but many times a few roles are in high demand, and a few roles are unpopular. A solution to this is to rotate the most unpleasant roles (which are usually monotonous enough for this). Another idea is to outsource the unpleasant task(s).
- Establish a communications system. Make sure it allows collaborators to discuss team issues in a relaxed environment. Create ways of documenting issues raised and decisions made. Using wikis and shared documents can help with keeping everyone in the loop.
- Establish ways to monitor performance and provide feedback. Periodically, meet together to discuss ways to improve on the project. There should be some metrics by which you can monitor your progress. It might be as simple as how many pages of a book has been written, or as complex as a series of traffic analytics. Try to identify any bottlenecks--that is, areas where something isn't getting done, and that's slowing down the rest of the progress. If that bottleneck points to a single person, do not attack; ask the person what is making his or her tasks difficult, and seek ways to make it easier.
- Seek consensus. Disagreements are common in any group effort. When conflicts arise, seek consensus from all members on resolution. It's important that every person in the group stands behind the group decision, whether they agree with it or not.
As an Individual - Create a collaborative climate. Prove that you are trustworthy. Respect others. Be consistent in your behavior and the way you respond to others.
- Be humble and open to others' ideas and suggestions. The opposite of collaboration is a form of dictatorship, where one person tells everyone else what to do, and nothing is open for discussion. Whereas a dictatorship is ego-driven, collaboration thrives on the quelling of egos. You need to accept that while your ideas might be good, someone else's ideas might be good too, and sometimes even better.
- Delegate tasks. Rather than trying to do everything, it is best to divide and conquer. Let everyone find his or her strength and work therein to contribute to the common goal. If you feel overwhelmed, speak up.
- Assume good faith. Collaboration is based on the common good, and we work most effectively together on the assumption of good faith of one another. If someone is not acting in good faith, it will reveal itself soon enough. But if you point a finger mistakenly, the spirit of collaboration can easily turn sour.
Tips - Decisions should be made based on consensus.
Related wikiHows Sources and Citations |
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