A | The Iowa Egg Council

Aioli

Garlic mayonnaise popular in the Provence region of southern France.
– See Mayonnaise

Air Cell

The air-filled pocket between the white and shell at the large end of the egg.

When an egg is newly laid, it is about 105ºF (41ºC) and has either no air cell or a very small one. As the egg cools, the liquid contents contract more than the shell and the inner shell membrane separates from the outer shell membrane to form the air cell. As the egg ages, moisture and carbon dioxide leave through the pores of the shell, air enters to replace them and the air cell becomes larger. The flattened end of a peeled, hard-boiled egg shows you where the air cell once was.

The formation of the air cell and the separation of the shell membranes are the reasons that a slightly older egg is easier to peel after hard-boiling. Storing eggs upright in their cartons in the refrigerator helps to keep their air cells in place and maintain egg quality. Although the air cell usually forms in the large end of the egg, it occasionally moves freely toward the uppermost point of the egg as the egg is rotated. It is then called a free or floating air cell. If the main air cell ruptures, resulting in one or more small separate air bubbles floating beneath the main air cell, it is known as a bubbly air cell.

Candlers use the size of the air cell as one basis for determining grade.

Albumen

Also known as egg white. Depending on the size of the egg, albumen accounts for most of an egg’s liquid weight, about 66%. The white contains more than half the egg’s total protein, a majority of the egg’s niacin, riboflavin, magnesium, potassium, sodium, and none of the fat. The white of a large egg contains about 17 calories.

Albumen color is opalescent and doesn’t appear white until an egg is beaten or cooked. The cloudy appearance comes from carbon dioxide. As eggs age, carbon dioxide escapes, so the albumen of older eggs is more transparent than that of fresher eggs.

The formation of the air cell and the separation of the shell membranes are the reasons that a slightly older egg is easier to peel after hard-boiling. Storing eggs upright in their cartons in the refrigerator helps to keep their air cells in place and maintain egg quality. Although the air cell usually forms in the large end of the egg, it occasionally moves freely toward the uppermost point of the egg as the egg is rotated. It is then called a free or floating air cell. If the main air cell ruptures, resulting in one or more small separate air bubbles floating beneath the main air cell, it is known as a bubbly air cell.

Candlers use the size of the air cell as one basis for determining grade.

American Egg Board

American Egg Board (AEB) is the promotion (advertising, marketing communications), education and research organization for the U.S. egg industry. The Board is composed of 18 members and 18 alternates. All members are egg producers who have been appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture to administer the program on behalf of all egg producers in the 48 contiguous states.

The Board was authorized by the Egg Research and Consumer Information Act passed by the 93rd Congress. The purpose of the law is “to enable egg producers to establish, finance and carry out a coordinated program of research, producer and consumer education and promotion to improve, maintain and develop markets for eggs, and egg products.” The activities of the AEB are conducted under the oversight of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The staff of the AEB implements the programs and policies of the Board. Major programs consist of a national advertising and public relations campaign, as well as egg product, foodservice and retail marketing outreach and nutrition education activities, which are conducted through the AEB-funded Egg Nutrition Center.

Angel Food Cake

A cake, tall and light in texture, leavened only by beaten egg whites. Visit www.IncredibleEgg.org for an Angel Food Cake recipe.

Angel Pie

- See Hard or Swiss Meringue

Antibiotic-Free Eggs

Antibiotics are not used on a continuous basis in the egg industry. If hens become ill and antibiotics are needed, they’re used on a therapeutic level under the supervision of a veterinarian. If hens are given an antibiotic at this level, their egg production is likely severely depressed. Any eggs produced would be diverted from human consumption according to FDA regulations.

Avian Influenza

Avian influenza (AI), also referred to as bird flu, is a virus that infects all types of avian species, including wild birds and domestic poultry. AI is an animal health issue that causes mild to severe symptoms in birds and, in its most extreme form, can be fatal to infected birds.

Pathogenicity refers to an organism’s ability to cause disease. There are two types of AI associated with domestic poultry, high pathogenicity (HPAI) and low pathogenicity (LPAI). LPAI is common in many areas of the world, may cause mild symptoms in birds and poultry, and is of no risk to human health. HPAI is more serious and causes severe illness in birds and poultry. In egg-laying hens, symptoms include respiratory problems, decreased food intake and slowed or stopped egg production.

In addition to pathogenicity (HP and LP), AI is also classified by the proteins on the surface of the virus. These proteins are hemagglutinin (H proteins) and neuraminidase (N proteins). There are 16 H proteins and 9 N proteins, so 144 different virus combinations are possible. Only two H proteins, H5 and H7, have been found to cause HPAI. All other H proteins are only found in LPAI and cause mild bird illness. The virus strain that is most talked about worldwide is H5N1. This strain is commonly found in Asia and has caused illness in millions of birds and in hundreds of people who have been in very close contact with the secretions or excretion of sick birds. The spread of AI viruses from one person to another is extremely rare.

The U.S. egg industry, local animal health officials, and many federal government agencies, including U.S. Department A – B 5of Agriculture (USDA) have had years of experience in dealing with and preventing AI in commercial poultry flocks as well as protecting the health of consumers. USDA and the egg industry are well equipped to identify AI outbreaks quickly and to eradicate them immediately. There are many levels of protection built into commercial egg production. Most importantly, veterinarians monitor flock health daily and quickly identify any problems. The combination of daily monitoring with a nationwide, routine AI testing program is very effective at detecting illness. During regular testing of domestic flocks, it’s not unusual to occasionally find LPAI. Outbreaks of HPAI, however, are rare. As of March 2012, there have been only three outbreaks of HPAI in the U.S. in the last 100 years. All three outbreaks were quickly eradicated and no human illnesses occurred.

If an HPAI outbreak were to occur, USDA and the egg industry have plans in place to quarantine and monitor the affected flock and surrounding area, eradicate the disease, as well as disinfect the premises and test to make sure the farm/s are free from AI virus. Under current regulations, eggs from an HPAI-positive flock will be destroyed immediately.

Another level of protection is that proper cooking destroys all AI virus particles. The USDA, the Food and Drug Administration and the World Health Organization all agree that thoroughly cooked eggs are safe to eat. Cook basic egg recipes until whites are firm and yolks thicken. Cook or bake any dishes containing eggs until they reach an internal temperature of 160ºF (71ºC).

– See Cooking Methods, Doneness Guidelines, Egg Safety, Partnership for Food Safety Education, Raw Eggs