ADVERTISEMENT
For those of us who appreciate the versatility of eggs, whether we’re crafting a light and airy omelet, baking a delicious cake, or whipping up a flavorful fried rice, the quality of the eggs we use truly matters. While a trip to the local farmer’s market can offer fresh, locally sourced options, many of us rely on the convenience of supermarket eggs, often packaged in cartons with seemingly cryptic codes. However, these codes are far from random; they hold valuable information about the freshness and safety of your eggs.
One of the most important codes to understand is the three-digit number printed on the carton. This is known as the Julian date, and it represents the day of the year the eggs were packed. For instance, if you see the number 001, it signifies that the eggs were packed on January 1st. Conversely, the number 365 indicates that the eggs were packaged on December 31st. This date is crucial for determining the freshness of your eggs.
Additionally, you might notice a code that begins with the letter ‘P.’ This is the plant code, which identifies the facility where the eggs were processed. This information is particularly important during product recalls. For example, during a past salmonella outbreak, being able to trace the plant code and Julian date allowed consumers to verify the safety of their eggs.
read more on next page
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
