When properly stored, eggs rarely spoil. The faster you use your eggs, the less time any potential bacteria will have to multiply. As an egg ages, the white becomes thinner, the yolk becomes flatter and the yolk membrane weakens. Although these changes may affect appearance, they do not indicate spoilage and don't have any great effect on the nutritional quality of the egg or its functions in recipes. Rather than spoiling, if you keep eggs long enough, they're more likely too simply dry up.

But, like all natural organic matter, eggs can eventually spoil through the action of spoilage organisms. Although they're unpleasant, spoilage organisms don't cause foodbourne illness.

Shell Color- It can be either white or brown and is determined by the breed of the hen. It has no effect on quality, taste, cooking properties or nutritive value.

Yolk Color- Its determined by the feed of the hen. For example, a darker/orange yolk would be due to an increase of corn in the feed.

The best way to keep your eggs is cool and contained. Therefore, keep raw shell eggs, broken-out eggs, egg mixtures, prepared egg dishes or other perishable foods refrigerated when you're not cooking or eating them. They should not be left at room temperature for more than 2 hours, including the time you use to prepare and serve them. To guard against breakage and odor absorption and to help prevent the loss of carbon dioxide and moisture which lowers egg quality, store raw shell eggs in their original cartons. Cartons should be kept on a middle or lower shelf where the temperature will fluctuate less than on the door.

Eggs have a better shelf life if they are kept out of the "Danger Zone" and in their original packaged container. The Danger Zone for all perishable foods is between 4°C and 60°C. Rapid growth of bacteria can occur between 20°and 60°C. Using cold temperatures inhibit the bacteria from growing large enough numbers that may cause illness. Salmonella will not grow when held below 4°C.

Shell eggs are to be delivered in refrigerated trucks and placed quickly into cooler, discouraging any chance of them being held at room temperature for any length of time. They should also be kept in their case to prevent loss of moisture. Store eggs away from foods such as onions, apples and cabbage, as eggs are extremely porous and can and will absorb any strong odors.

If the egg has been improperly handled you might experience the foodbourne illness called salmonellosis. You could have symptoms of abdominal cramps, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, chills, fever and/or headache within 6 to 72 hours after eating. The symptoms usually only last a day or two in healthy people but can lead to serious complications for the very young, pregnant women, the elderly, the ill and those with immune system disorders. Anyone who has salmonellosis may pass along the bacteria for several weeks after recovering, but salmonellosis is seldom fatal. While the risk of getting salmonellosis is very small, there's no need to take chances because cooking kills Salmonella. (Taken from Egg- handling & care guide, American Egg Board)

No, You can't see bacteria with the naked eye. Blood or meat spots are occasionally found on an egg yolk and are merely an error on the part of the hen. They're caused by the rupture of a blood vessel on the yolk surface when it's being formed or by similar accident in the wall of the oviduct. Both chemically and nutritionally eggs with blood spots are fit to eat. You can remove the spot with the tip of a knife, if you wish.

At Sparks we candle our eggs, candling is the process of passing them over a very bright light, which allows you to see through the egg. The person in the candling booth may pick out any abnormalities, although it is impossible to get them all, occasionally a blood egg will get through. Sparks also has installed an electronic spotter to scan the eggs and pick out the blood spots.

The clear plastic cartons we use for our specialty eggs are actually made with 100% recycled material (PETE). The cartons are, therefore, 100% recyclable. We choose to use the clear carton because we feel it also gives the idea of a value-added product. The double layer in the carton is for added protection from breakage or cracking.

Check out our supplier web page for more information on materials used at www.interplast.com under recycling.

Plastic egg cartons can be recycled in the City of Calgary through Recycle Plus of Calgary. They offer a curbside recycling program and will pick up all of your recyclables (not just plastics) once a week if you subscribe to their program. There is a small fee for the year to cover the service, the cost of preparing the recyclables and the also the costs involved in the process of recycling plastics and other difficult to recycle products. Recycle Plus services the east side of the city but they can also put you in contact with a curbside program in your area, including Chestermere and Airdrie. Recycle Plus of Calgary can be contacted at (403) 230-1030.

Free run eggs come from birds that are cageless, but still confined to a barn.

Free range eggs come from birds that are cageless and allowed freedom to the outside. These birds/eggs are typically from British Columbia since the weather allows for this type of production more so than in Alberta where the hen mortality can be quite high.

The yolk color of the egg is determined solely on the feed the bird has ingested. A dark yellow or orange yolk is a result of an increased amount of corn the hen has consumed. A difference in yolk color does not mean a difference in quality of egg. The consumer choice in Alberta, for the most part, seems to be a light yellow yolk.

We don't add any hormones, preservatives, additives or any other derivative to our feed, other than wholesome grains. We believe the more natural the food, the better. We at Sparks Eggs believe in wholesome goodness and strive to obtain the utmost in caring for the consumer, their family and their best interests. We are "obsessed with quality" and would do nothing to compromise our standards.

To increase the nutritional value of our eggs, we start with the hens. We give our 'specialty eggs' 'specialty feed'. The type of feed that the hens receive to produce our specialty eggs differs slightly. For example, the Omega-3 Eggs are achieved by increasing the amount of flaxseed in their diet. The hens would receive, for example, feed derived from 20% ground flaxseed and a combination grain diet. Flaxseed is higher in Omega-3 fatty acids and lower in saturated fatty acids than other grains.
The Grain Fed and Certified Organic Fed Eggs would be along the same lines. It is all in the type of feed the hens are receiving. It gives new light to the saying; "You are what you eat."