In praise of egg

Egg, any egg, is concentrated nutrition. But whenever the word is mentioned, usually the picture of an oval shaped chicken egg flashes before the eyes of all -irrespective of egg lovers or haters. On the occasion of the observance of the World Egg Day, experts have attempted to bring home the message that the myth of a link between egg's cholesterol-related heart ailment and stroke is unfounded.

In case of as high as 70 per cent of people, egg does not contribute to development of bad cholesterol. Some of the promoters of eggs are of the opinion that it is safe to eat two to three eggs a day. One of the speakers on the occasion went further to claim that the cholesterol in egg is rather good. Referring to modern science, he says that four eggs a week reduce 37 per cent risk of type-2 diabetes and six eggs a week eliminate the risk of breast cancer by 40 per cent.  

No mention, though, was made, of any difference between duck and hen eggs. Of course, the eggs obtained from indigenous hens and poultry-farm variety look different. Whether they are equally nutritious or not has not been taken up for the deliberations. Granted that people have wrong perceptions about eggs but then these are areas where the perceptions are even more unclear and very confusing.

Why should people pay one and a half time more price for eggs of local variety of fowl if eggs contain equal vitamins and types of mineral? One expert has assured that egg contains all the ingredients of food except vitamin-C. But which egg? Eggs lain by farm fowls, indigenous variety, ducks, swans or all of them. Quail egg, albeit small, is also favourite with many. What about it?

Then, one cannot quite rule out the fragility of the poultry industry. Poultry farms suffered a serious setback in the country in the face of avian influenza or bird flu. The link between chicken meat or egg with SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) cannot be ruled out. Vulnerability to such diseases makes eggs, particularly of the farm type, suspect.

Even if poultry farms are free from such epidemics, the feed manufactured for farm fowls cannot get a clean chit in this country. When rejected hides from tanneries are used for such feed, poisonous chemicals like chromium, cadmium and lead enter into the food chain via eggs. Eggs no longer remain safe.

There is no doubt that egg is easy to eat. It can be boiled, poached, scrambled, fried and turned into other spicy dishes. So there is no reason why it should not be popular with people in a hurry. But the poultry industry must be brought under close supervision in order to ensure that the farms producing eggs use standard feed. Not all the farms do follow recommended practices.

If they did, the prices of eggs would have been same. But it is not. Twelve or a dozen of eggs supplied by the CP cost Tk 25-30 more than the normally available ones. Then there are Omega-contained eggs, the price of which is more than double that of the normal.

The frontier of egg is not clear and transparent. People get confused for so many varieties. When there are brands in case of eggs, people naturally think twice before making a choice of the one. Of course those who have money, do not think much. They go for the priciest simply because the psychology is: the pricier a commodity is the better its quality.

Whether it is always the case is doubtful. In this country, food items are not brought under the scanner to determine if they are safe or not. Once people develop complications or die, the authorities announce their presence. In case of food items where there is a chance of transferring harmful elements into the food chain, there is need for being extra cautious.