The Incredible Edible Egg
What a wonderful food
nature has given us.
Have you ever thought about the hen,
which nearly every day produces and lays nature’s ready packaged food?
The
egg is packed with highly
nutritious protein plus vitamins A, D, E, K, and B. Indeed as a natural source of vitamin D,
eggs rank second only to
fish-liver oils.
Many of the minerals your body needs
including calcium and iron are also present.
How is this wonderful product of nature produced?
How does the hen manufacture such a nutritious product?
The hen takes approximately 24 hours to
produce each egg.
The stage of the process is called ovulation, when a yolk is released from the hen’s ovary. This yolk is then picked up by an "egg funnel" or as it is known, the infundibulum and it is then fed down through the oviduct where, gently rotating, it is wrapped in the white or the "albumen". The albumen has many functions but for table eggs one of its most important functions is as a defence system against bacteria – something it does very effectively.
Those wee white bits, which you see on breaking the shell, the chalazae, are attached and they act as an anchor for the yolk.
While this "egg" is travelling down the isthmus it is enveloped in two fibrous shell membranes. These membranes are the foundation on which the eggs final layer is deposited…. the shell.
All this takes place while inside the hen and takes about 21 to 24 hours with the shell action alone taking up to 18 to 20 hours to be formed.
So you can see nature’s wonderful nutritious food is produced with care and lots of attention.
Why not have a boiled egg today?
Put the egg in a pan of boiling water and if you want it hard-boiled; sing all the verses of Onward Christian Soldiers.
For a medium egg omit one verse.
For a soft-boiled egg in which you can dip your toast, sing only two verses.
If however you cannot sing or don't know the words, click here.
To contact SEPRA:
Phone: +44 (0)1324
715337
Fax: +44 (0)1324 874773
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last updated:
25/02/2005 09:48