Some people have chickens because they like the animals and some people have chickens for the eggs they lay. Either way, a nice egg is always a bonus. The eggs from their own chicken are often found to be the best. This is not surprising, because they are farm fresh. But did you know that there are more reasons why the egg from your own chicken tastes so good? And how can we influence the taste of the egg and make it even more delicious?
The taste of eggs
In the Netherlands we eat an average of four a week. Many of these eggs are used in pastry, mayonnaise, quiche or another egg product, but we also eat some of it pure. For example, beautifully cooked, baked or poached. When eating such a pure preparation, the taste of the egg comes out well. You will certainly be able to taste the difference between one egg and the other. These differences may be due to the feed the chicken is fed, the health of the chicken, the seasons and the freshness of the eggs.
The composition of eggs
A chicken egg weighs on average about 50 to 70 grams. About sixty percent of this is protein, thirty percent egg yolk and ten percent eggshell.
Egg-shell
The eggshell is a thin porous shell that protects the egg against external influences. The shell is permeable to oxygen and aromas and has a coating on the outside called the cuticle. This layer protects the egg against drying out and bacteria from the outside. Under the shell is a membrane that protects the egg against bacteria from the outside. At the bottom of the egg, under the shell is the air chamber. The amount of air in this chamber increases with age, causing an old egg to float in water, and a fresh egg to sink in water. The shell itself consists mainly of calcium. The chicken takes this out of its diet. A diet with sufficient calcium often produces solid eggshells.
Protein
Protein consists mainly of water, namely ninety percent of the protein is water. The other ten percent consists of proteins, mainly ovalbumin, and a small part of minerals, vitamins and glucose. The taste of the egg white is often flat and therefore does not determine the taste of an egg. After preparation, the structure of the protein can determine the mouthfeel when eating an egg. Protein consists of three layers and can be thick and loby, or thin and watery. When heated, the proteins form a network in which all the water from the protein is trapped. Strong heating allows the protein structure to retain less moisture than mild heating at lower temperatures. Hard baked proteins are therefore tougher and drier.
Egg yolk
Half the yolk consists of water and contains more protein than the egg white, namely about sixteen percent. Egg yolk also contains a lot of fat, cholesterol, vitamins and minerals. The fat also gives the yolk a richer flavor than the egg white. The yolk consists of a cell that is three to four centimeters in diameter. The color of the yolk can vary greatly depending on the diet of the chicken. The yolk is surrounded by the yolk membrane. The egg is located just below this membrane.
Influence of chicken feed on the egg
Feeding or not feeding a chicken can affect the taste of the egg. Garlic, leeks, onions and fish, for example, give eggs with a strange and sometimes foul taste. But also spoiled food residues and chemicals can be tasted again in the egg. It can often be recognized by the smell what the chicken has eaten and in the future it can be ensured that the chickens are no longer served this.
Choline
Chicken feed can sometimes contain too much choline. This can give the egg yolks a fishy taste. Not all chickens are sensitive to this, so only a few eggs may taste fishy while all chickens receive the same feed. Buying another brand of food can solve this problem.
Carotene
The amount of carotene in the food determines the color of the egg yolk. The chickens get carotene from their diet. Carrots and corn, for example, contain a lot of carotene, while wheat contains little carotene. The amount of carotene in the egg yolk, as many people think, says nothing about the taste of the egg yolk.
Vanadium
If the feed contains too much of the mineral vanadium, the protein can become thin and watery. Vanadium is found in parsley, radishes, lobster, organ meats, nuts, lettuce, gelatin and whole grain products. Avoiding these products is also not good, as a chicken needs vanadium to maintain good health.
Antioxidants and Tannins
Antioxidants and tannins from grapes and tea, for example, can cause a mottled yolk. This also does not affect the taste, but does produce a less attractive egg.
Medicines
Medication can also lead to abnormal eggs. For example, Anticoccodiosis contains nicarbazin, which can give a spotted yolk. Dewormers with phenothiazine can also produce stained yolks. The chemicals from medicines can also negatively affect the taste of an egg.
Foraging
Free-range chickens receive a very versatile diet. They can choose their own food and eat many different types of herbs and plants and search carefully for insects for the necessary proteins. With free-range chickens it is impossible to control what they eat and the diet varies from day to day. As a result, the eggs can have a varying quality. Especially when the chickens have eaten something that can give the egg an aftertaste, this is tasted again. With chickens in a run this is easier to control and the eggs can therefore be of more consistent quality. On the other hand, the welfare of the chickens is often better if they can forage around.
Influence of health
Diseases
Illnesses can affect the quality of the egg. If there is bronchitis, infectious laryngotracheitis or Egg Drop Syndrome, a chicken can lay watery eggs with thin protein. If a chicken has an infection or a vitamin K deficiency, it can lead to the laying of blood eggs.
Age
As the chicken ages, the quality of the egg deteriorates. The protein can be thin and watery. Older hens often lay somewhat larger eggs, while pullets lay small eggs. After all, older hens can lay a deviant egg more often, such as an egg with bruising.
Genes
Some chickens lay lower quality eggs because it is in their genes. The eggs can be watery, have a different structure or have a less delicious taste. Usually nothing can be done about this. It is recommended not to incubate these eggs.
Influence of the season
The time of year can influence the egg. This is especially the case with free-range chickens. In the summer, chickens will have more green food, which can cause the yolk to darken. In winter, when the chickens spend more time in the pen, they can breathe in more ammonia due to the accumulation of excrement, which can lead to thin and watery protein. This can be prevented by regularly cleaning the night loft.
Influence chicken breed
The breed of the chicken has a major influence on the color of the eggs. Chickens with white earlobes are known to lay white eggs and chickens with pink earlobes also lay brown eggs. The Araucana chicken even lays blue eggs. Although the color is clearly different, this says nothing about the taste of the eggs. But experts say there is a difference in taste between different chicken breeds. It is rumored that the Chaamse fowl lays the tastiest eggs. But here it applies that everyone has a different taste and it is therefore mainly a personal preference.
Freshness and storage conditions
The freshness of an egg is very important for the taste of an egg. It is important how the eggs are stored.
Freshness
A fresh egg can be recognized by its thick protein. A yolk that sits well in place in the center of an egg, a small air chamber and a small yolk. Due to the thick protein, a fresh egg is also easier to prepare as a fried egg. During storage, the yolk gets bigger because it absorbs moisture from the protein. This can tear the yolk membrane, causing the yolk to run through the egg white. A fried egg can then no longer be made. Finally, the egg’s acidity changes during storage. The protein becomes more and more alkaline. This provides a more watery protein and a different structure when cooking or baking an egg.
Storage conditions
An eggshell is very porous. This allows eggs to quickly take over the taste and smell of the environment. Never keep an egg next to, for example, a net onions or a packet of salami. But also keeping eggs in a damp musty shed is not a good idea. It is often said that eggs should not be kept in the refrigerator as this would be bad for the quality of the eggs. However, this claim has never been substantiated. When stored in the refrigerator, bacteria have less chance of growing and eggs stay fresh longer. But keep them in a closed box so that the eggs do not absorb the taste or smell of other products from the refrigerator.
Conclusion
The taste of the egg can be influenced. An aftertaste can often be solved by changing the food, keeping it shorter or simply using a different breed of chickens. Give the chicken a versatile diet so that they get all the nutrients to lay a good egg. Try to avoid giving them foods that negatively affect the taste, such as onion, garlic, and leeks. Do not store the eggs for too long and in a cool, clean place. In addition, ensure a clean night cage, good health of the chicken and do not eat eggs from chickens that are given medication. But it is important that not everyone has the same taste and that you should therefore experiment yourself to get the tastiest egg.