Academies of Medicine and Agriculture defend the egg "industrial"

The egg is a "food choice", whose qualities have been too often ignored or hidden defects and too stressed or overestimated, said the members of the Academies of Medicine and Agriculture who defended methods industrial livestock against the European threat back to the farm "on the ground".

First, they argue, it is an excellent source of protein, so balanced that they are taken as a reference by the FAO. In other words, a reduced amount of these proteins provides the essential amino acids in an optimum balance to cover the needs of the child and the man.

Second, it contains rich lipid polyunsaturated fatty acids, including omega-3 and that the body can not synthesize and whose contribution is essential to the proper functioning of the body due to their diverse biological functions.

In addition, the presence of various minerals and trace elements is emphasized, as well as high levels of vitamins A, D and E, which functions in calcium metabolism and antioxidant properties are particularly beneficial.

And we can see the relative poverty calories, making it a recommended food in a food usually too rich.

While they acknowledge, it is relatively rich in cholesterol, and therefore, it has long recommended to limit consumption, accused increase blood cholesterol and promote the incidence of cardiovascular diseases. But "it is now well established that it is the liver that produces almost all of the blood cholesterol and dietary intake, regardless of its origin, has a secondary effect on cholesterol" write- they concluded.

It also highlighted the risk of allergic reaction associated with the consumption of eggs. Now, they say, we must remember that food allergies are associated with the consumption of various foods including some components, especially proteins, cause defensive reactions of the organism in the form of IgE antibody production, in some subjects. This may be the case of the egg, but it should be noted that such reactions involve only a minor component of the population.

There is also a risk, real, but rare in the farms "floor" of egg contamination by dioxin residues present in earthworms ingested high chicken outdoors in areas located in the vicinity of incinerators obsolete. "This risk does not exist, of course, for cage culture," they say.

The modern conditions of production have they changed the nutritional and hygienic characteristics of the egg? In fact, they reply, the nutritional value of the egg does not depend on farming methods and it is also the case for its taste. The latter are influenced by the "age" the best taste of the freshly laid egg being generally sensitive than at moderate cooking and fading when cooked "hard".

However, the existence and proliferation in eggs microorganisms of the genus Salmonella, which can cause individual or collective poisoning when undercooked, are closely related to production conditions, crop-its automation ensures the freshness of the egg-, marketing and conservation.

"These are better controlled and the risk of poisoning has become rare when the eggs are modern farms where poultry kept in cages." This is why it is not only safe, but even recommended to eat eggs "industrial" and egg products. However, in poultry farms and "ground" are more sensitive to the risks of bacterial contamination after spawning due to prolonged contact between eggs laid and droppings in the nest box used by several animal contact.

The return to methods of rearing poultry or "ground" could be detrimental, both in terms of health (incidence of salmonellosis possible presence of dioxins) than the cost of production (increased mortality, food costs.) .

However, it is not excluded that this rule is now threatened by new significant more expensive breeding standards promulgated by Brussels, with the risk that production is relocated to countries without adequate safety control hygienic, they warn.