[Sillaycheg]

So here's the question:

When I was a kid, (about a million years ago), living in the country, I remember that even Eggs bought from the local store had yolks which were Orange in color, and the flavor was very strong. So, by and by, not being particularly attentive to the color of my sunny-side ups, I never really thought about it, I mean, who would?

Well, a recent trip to Japan brought back the memory of what I guess used to be the norm in Chicken-Egg technology here in the states, because I've noticed a very strange disparity which is this:

In America, Chicken-Egg yolks are bright yellow, and in Japan they are a deep orange.

So why is this?
What changed?
Is there a nutritional difference?

According to what I researched briefly on the subject, the orange coloration of the yolk is caused by:

From:
http://au.answers.yahoo.com/question...4211614AAzdEpS

This is all I could find on yolks. My mom raises chickens, and we corn feed them. She has always claimed that they are healthier. I use them sometimes in baking.

"...Egg yolk is a source of lecithin, an emulsifier.

A large yolk contains more than two-thirds of the recommended daily limit of 300mg of cholesterol.

The yellow color is caused by lutein and zeaxanthin, which are yellow or orange carotenoids known as xanthophylls..."

According to this find, the difference in color of the yolk is due to what the hens are fed. Therefore, the orange is healthier.

"Beta carotene, or xanthophyll both are natural plant pigments. When hens are able to eat green plant material or yellow corn (factory farm hens are sometimes fed yellow dye or other supplements to color the yolks), the beta carotene concentrates in the yolk making it dark sometimes even orange...

Poultry raised on fresh pasture instead of stored grain get more unsaturated fats and vitamins in their diets. “It’s like the difference between fresh and canned vegetables..."

* 7 months ago

Source(s):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_yolk
http://coyotecreekfarm.blogspot.com/2007...


So, if the above info is true, then what does this mean?
It appears that orange is healthier?

Are Americans getting the shaft here?

What do you guys think?

[dabibibff]

And yes..
I am aware that it's Orange..not Organge



Frankly, I could use more Organges...

[nushentelve]

The yolk is only part of the egg. Orange yolk pairs well with Dr. Seuss Green Egg Recipe.

[hopertveyk]

You weird American people have white-ish eggshells too, ours are eggshell coloured

(I think that comes from the colour of the hen though)

Egg yolks tend to be orange here.

[vipluka]

theres a guy i know who has various poultry that he lets roam a free
dont know what he feeds them on
but the flavour and colour of the resulting eggs is much more intense than even organic type of shop bought variety

battery hens especially are fed less well and have less excercise so the eggs are not full of nutritions and faty goodness...

[avodeinst]

corn fed chicken meat has a yellow tinge to it

never seen an organge one though
is that like greent orange?

[Uninkipsyncp]

This topic is actully covered at length in Michael Pollan's book "The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals." It's a great read. Talks about the industrialization of modern food.

Basically, he notes that eggs from free-range hens tend to have a more orange color, if I recall correctly, due to the content of beta carotine. Also, eggs from free-range hens tend to have firmer yolks and egg whites that froth up into a meringue must faster than caged birds that eat only grains.

[IACJdKfU]

Kenzan, the extract of what you found says it well. The carotenoids determinetes the color of the yolk. And there are many ranges of colors of yellow and orange in the eggs. Is all about the quality and the kind of aliments which the hens are fed.
I can say that actually, yolk has more proteins than the... Uhm, well, the part that is not the yolk (can't remember the name).

Can't say about which color is more nutritional though, but alway's good to keep them in the frig.

You weird American people have white-ish eggshells too, ours are eggshell coloured JoDuncan, the pigments in the food also affects the color of the shield, like green, light brown, white and others. So, we do have colored shields in América
It's more about what they eat than the race of the poultry, not the color of them.

Can't say more, I didn't attend so much to my poultry classes.

[Frannypaync]

I think I heard about mixing the color from this to hen's food, but I can be wrong.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safflower_oil
The flower looks yellow but the dye from the flower is bright red.

A few years ago I heard about difference in preference in egg yolk color between different countries, in the area people think orange more appertizing (like in Japan? I don't remember the color of eggs anymore, I haven't been there for a long time...) try to make it look more orange, but it doesn't necessarily mean that they're adding more nutritious ingredients to hen's food for the purpose...

Yuko

It's general to most kind of food, meat of cattles, swins and poultry and the quantity of fat that they have.
Or like maize, there is the yellow, white (or less yellowed), purple and I don't remember if there is another kind.

Or ham, it has added some color pigments to make it more attractive. Many pple find that attractive than a darker greyish color. In general are tricks also to get the eye of the clients, not necessarily directed to the "health".

[imictiorume]

This topic is actully covered at length in Michael Pollan's book "The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals." It's a great read. Talks about the industrialization of modern food.

Basically, he notes that eggs from free-range hens tend to have a more orange color, if I recall correctly, due to the content of beta carotine. Also, eggs from free-range hens tend to have firmer yolks and egg whites that froth up into a meringue must faster than caged birds that eat only grains.

Ok update:

I purchased some "Fertile" eggs from a local market yesterday, but admittedly, had no clue what they meant by "Fertile" in this case, which, if I use my imagination, sounds a bit nasty, like there might be a baby chicken inside or something.

Turns out that yes indeed, "Fertile" eggs exist in a condition where Hens are exposed to the Rooster, and allegedly are the closest to a natural setting for chickens, as Roosters need a free-range animal in order to mate with it, and since these Hens are running around the yard, they eat more plants and bugs which is supposed to equate to a more healthier egg due to enhanced nutrition like beta carotene.

Additionally, these eggs are also supposed to contain Rooster sperm, which isn't all that appetizing when you think about it.

However, yolks are deep orange, and I did perform a cursory taste test with a "regular" egg, which which had a yolk of bright yellow.
In my estimation, the orange yolked eggs was more flavorful hands down, and had what appeared to be a stronger yolk as it did not break in the pan as the yellow ones are apt to.

The "fertilized" eggs are also ridiculously expensive, at $3.79.00 a dozen at the local market.

And now I know, and knowing is half the battle,

G.I. Joe.

[Pharmaciest]

Fertile eggs?.. Could that be the same that actually are sold with the embrion?

Sounds like, but what I imagined (never seen them bfore) that they have bigger the embrion...

Are you planning to become the Eggs taster version of the Wine tasters?..
And talking about eggs.. There is a link about eggs cartons in the sponsored links :S

[Henldyhl]

Are you planning to become the Eggs taster version of the Wine tasters?..

Good nutrition is my secret weapon to become the Kendo Champion of the world.
That, and my patented "Tonya Harding" brand knee-capper and potato-masher, but I've said too much already..

And talking about eggs.. There is a link about eggs cartons in the sponsored links :S

Hmm.link on mine sez:

"Egg Donors & Surrogates"

EwwwWWWwwwWwww..

I imagine those wouldn't be tasty at all...

[HootSnori]

Do you still have some left?
Try to grow them!! Won't be expensive if you get eggs out of them (and the meat) in the future!

Yuko

Good idea, but...




I'm still reconciling the fact that my eggs contain Mini-Rooster juice.

[Gudronich]

When I came to Portugal last December, the firsat thing I noticed was Deep Red Orange color of Egg Yolk. So it seems only US chicken Farm raised ones have Yellow color. Do any other countries have Yellow color yolk? I am pretty sure US isn't the only country with chicken farm.

[Efonukmp]

I did find a study in which Mandarin Orange peels were dried and crushed and added to chicken feed to improve Beta-Carotene levels (and the by-product seemed to be a deep orange pigment.)

Interesting.

[StethyEntinic]

Could it be...

The secret to Kenzan's power..... Roster Cum!

[JessiPollo]

Could it be...

The secret to Kenzan's power..... Roster Cum!

As long as the Roster includes the Dallas Cowboy's Cheerleader squad, then I'm right there with you, me boyo.

[gusecrync]

With me?!

After looking at those photos I'm already spent....



Got some mighty strange looks from my office mates!

[scoundtrack]

JoDuncan, the pigments in the food also affects the color of the shield, like green, light brown, white and others. So, we do have colored shields in América
It's more about what they eat than the race of the poultry, not the color of them.

No, that's not true, egg shell color definitely varies by breed. Some types of chickens, such as most Leghorns that I know of, lay white eggs, some types of chickens, such as Rhode Island Reds, lay brown eggs. Araucanas lay what are sometimes called "Easter Eggs," because of the shades of blue and green. Put the different types together, feed them the same thing, and they'll still lay different colored eggs.

-Charles

[Loolasant]

Do you still have some left?
Try to grow them!! Won't be expensive if you get eggs out of them (and the meat) in the future!

Be warned...

Unfertilized eggs, if left unwashed, and hence covered by a protective secretion from the chicken (called the "bloom") will last quite a while, weeks. Fertilized eggs will not, and will rot, and become quite explosive. Once the thing "dies," gasses will build up inside the egg. Even a slight jolt, and the thing will pop, splattering rotten egg everywhere. It reeks. Seriously. You'd think after a few years in bogu smells wouldn't get to me, but rotten egg, blech.

If the eggs have been cleaned, they don't last nearly as long, and AFAIK, can't be raised to hatching.

I started with 27 chickens. I gave 12 away. Two were murdered in the dark of night. One turned out to be a rooster, and didn't survive my attempts to make a sound-tight container. Nine were butchered and eaten for being too noisy. I still have three, and they lay pretty good. However they'll be in the freezer by the end of the month, then I'll buy more in February.

For this next batch I'm planning to go with Australorps, a breed from Australia, though I'm thinking about trying some silkies as well.

-Charles