For those who care about the quality of their eggs and the conditions the chickens are kept in. Eggsactly. How do you know what sort of eggs you are buying? Study the Europe wide codes stamped on the eggs.

Top Line

The first code:

0=Bio (Organically fed)
1=élevé en plein air (Free Range)
2=Birds kept freely in Barns
3=Battery Hens (élevés en cages) living all their lives in tiny cramped cages with all the cruelty and health hazards that follow

The second code. This gives country of origin:

FR=France
IT=Italy

The third code. This is the individual producer's number or name. Eggsample:

1 FR 0000 means free range eggs produced in France producer 0000.

Second Line

This generally gives the sell by date and sometimes the date laid (pondu) as well.

Often when you see loose eggs purporting to be free range or fresh eggs they are actually produced by caged birds in Italy. Some small producers in local markets mix their own produce (not marked at all) with Battery eggs, passing off all the eggs as BIO or free range.

Price is not always an indication of quality. Some of the best are from supermarkets clearly marked on eggs and box.

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