Experts Say This Is the Only Label on an Egg Carton That Really Matters

It’s a sign of quality. I feel like the egg section of my local grocery store keeps getting bigger and bigger. With so many choices and ever-confusing labels, deciding on a dozen feels as confusing as shopping for a car. To make things easier on me (and you), I checked in with an expert to find out what they look for when buying eggs. As it turns out, not all labels mean what you might think they do. What Label To Look for When Buying Eggs, According to a Chef According toNick Korbee, chef, former owner of Egg Shop, and author ofEgg Shop: The Cookbook, he looks for two labels when buying eggs to help ensure the best quality: pasture-raised and organic. Pasture-raised eggs typically come from hens that are free to roam outdoor pastures, foraging on a diet of grasses, insects, seeds, and worms, before retreating to a coop at night. Organic eggs, on the other hand, usually come from hens raised on feed free from synthetic pesticides, GMOs, and antibiotics. “I find pasture-raised eggs to have deep yellow yolks and firm whites. The diversity of a chicken’s diet from foraging greatly impacts flavor,” he explains, noting that flavor resides primarily in the yolk, while texture is defined by the white. Additionally,research showsthat organic egg yolks contain higher protein content than those of conventional eggs, which generally come from caged hens with no outdoor access. Related Stories While the officialgreen-and-white U.S. Department of Agriculture Organic sealguarantees strict federal standards, including soil quality and animal welfare practices, standalone terms like ‘organic’ or ‘pasture-raised’ aren’t federally regulated on egg packaging. This means claims don’t always guarantee a healthy environment or diet, or how much time hens actually get to spend outdoors. Korbee notes that the most reliable way to gauge egg

It’s a sign of quality.