Shoppers urged to check eggs for 1 important detail before buying them

Shoppers urged to check eggs for 1 important detail before buying them Madinah Yate has urged shoppers to 'stop trusting' egg packaging and instead check an important piece of information on the eggs themselves that tells you everything you need to know about their quality Next time you're picking up eggs from a supermarket, you might want to take note of advice from a nutritionist who has warned shoppers to "stop trusting" the cartons they arrive in. Madinah Yate says the secret lies in the finer detail found on the eggs themselves rather than among the abundance of information displayed on their packaging. "Ever wondered how you can tell which eggs are from truly pasture-raised hens and are good quality?" she began in a TikTok video as she opened a dozen carton. "Because all this packaging is mostly just marketing." Madinah went on to advise her viewers to disregard wording on egg packaging such as 'organic', 'farm fresh' and 'happy hens' and instead watch out for one crucial detail. "Go straight to the number stamp, which is on each egg itself," she said. Madinah continued: "Then, in the UK the numbers tell you everything in a range from nought to three - and nought is what you want as it's the best quality and means the egg is organic, pasture-raised and the chicken has had access to a proper outdoor space and enjoyed a natural diet." According to the nutritionist, a number one on the egg indicates it is free range, which is "decent but not on the same level", while a two shows the egg came from a barn-raised hen, one which had been kept indoors. She added: "And a three is the worst of all as it means they [hens] are caged and have had the lowest welfare." The nutritionist concluded by highlighting that the finest quality eggs boast richer yolks, superior fatty acid profiles and higher levels of vitamins A, D and E. "So if you are choosing better for the chickens, you are choosing better for your body," Madinah summarised. "So before you buy eggs, check the code - it's often more honest than the packaging." Supporting her advice, the British Hen Welfare Trust states on its website: "Since 2004 an EU regulation has made it mandatory for commercially produced eggs to be stamped with a number indicating the farming production method. "This allows consumers to distinguish between organic (O) Free Range (1) Barn (2) and Cage (3)." The revelation left one viewer stunned, who responded: "Thanks for telling me, I feel silly because I've been purchasing the same brand for several years because the quality seemed good for the price but I'm just finding out they're category 3." A second viewer was equally taken aback, commenting: "I learnt something today. Thank you very much for this brief but informative video. You speak clearly, slowly and audibly. You don't sound like you are 'eating your own words, which happens in other people's videos. I buy a lot of eggs and will watch out for the numbering. Funny how this is not set out on the shelves in the stores." A third person praised: "Thank you for that clearly explained information as I did not know that before about the 0-3 stamps." Meanwhile, a fourth TikTok user shared: "I bought some the other and they have 3s on. Going straight in the bin."