What do you know about organic eggs? What means organic in this case? Who guarantees they are organic? Are they being treated with "unorganic" stuff? Like chlorine solutions and Sodium hypochlorite and Potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide etc. The answer might surprise you.

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If you believe in buying organic foods, an article by an expert last week may have come as a shock to you. Dr.Mercola is a celebrity in the medical field and on the media circuit. He has an excellent website and a huge following on Facebook and other social networks. I often adhere to his advice.

His article"Why you don't want to buy organic eggs at the grocery store" raises the question what happens after organic eggs have been collected. Some states require that they are cleaned by washing them in a chlorine bath. That isn't exactly what I as an organic customer and ex organic farmer's wife expected to happen to the eggs labeled organic, grocery store or not. In addition, they undergo "a mineral oil coating before they are nestled into their cartons," the article continues. And the eggs are still allowed to carry the organic label.

My research took me to:

Guidelines for Certification of Organic Eggs and Meat Birds

Vermont Organic Farmers (VOF)

Northeast Organic Farming Association. There it says:

"The following egg wash ingredients are allowed for use in organic egg production:

􀂃 Sodium hypochlorite 􀂃 Potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide

􀂃 Hydrogen peroxide 􀂃 Sodium carbonate

􀂃 Peracetic acid (Peroxyacetic acid)

Other additives/ Egg coatings: Mineral oil is not listed on the National List Section 205.605 and therefore may not be used to coat eggs after washing. Organic vegetable oils would be allowed for this purpose.

No sh*t, Sherlock!

Why coat eggs in any kind of oil, I wondered? So that they look shiny? Not quite, there is a scientific explanation for it.

The surface of an egg shell is covered with thousands of microscopic holes which makes it quite porous. A natural coating referred to as the 'bloom' helps seal the holes, preventing bacteria from entering. As the egg ages, the bloom is worn away, which allows moisture to slowly escape and air to enter, forming the 'air cell'. Bacteria may also enter, and contamination may result. When eggs are washed to remove germs that may be on the surface the bloom is also removed, so a thin coating of oil is applied to take the place of the bloom. This works in the same way as the bloom, keeping the contents fresh for longer periods. The bloom also provides eggs with a natural luster or shine. Mineral oil not only protects your eggs as a sealant but it also restores the luster, the shine of the egg.

Food Grade Mineral Oil makes a great egg shell sealant. One method to preserve eggs is to warm the oil so it is as warm as your hands can work comfortably. To apply the oil, dip clean cloth in it and wipe the egg so that every bit of the shell has been coated. We carry a hand spray (see additional items) use of this hand spray makes coating eggs quickly and more efficiently. After coating the eggs place them (small side down) in egg cartons or egg trays and store in a cool place. The eggs should keep at least 6-8 months. This food grade mineral oil is an odorless, tasteless, crystal clear, food grade white mineral oil. It meets or exceeds requirements of US FDA regulation 21 CFR 172.878 and CFR178.3620(a) for direct and indirect food contact. It meets or exceeds standards of the US Pharmacopoeia (USP) and the National Formulary (NF). It meets standards for approval as H1 and 3H lubricants for use in food processing plants under the jurisdiction of the USDA. This product is also Kosher approved. It is the lightest viscosity of mineral oil we offer. Great for use in Cosmetics, Health and Beauty, Bee Mite Control, and Many More Applications.

The OCIA- Organic Crop Improvement Association under 3.16.b also prohibits certain oils: "Use of petroleum-based oil as a shell coating after washing is prohibited." But there is no mention of washing methods.

I double-checked with a major organic egg supplier for Publix here in Florida. Their letter basically confirmed my findings. And of course they strictly adhere to the law.

Excerpt: "An egg processing facility is, by default, prime potential breeding grounds for bacteria due to the eggs that get broken during the process, and the low pH environment. To neutralize the possible contaminants and maintain food safety standards requires treatment.

In order to ensure that the eggs that you receive are completely safe, we use two products, at small concentrations, in our processing system. The first product is called Eggs So Clean pH Booster, which is designed to elevate the pH level of the environment, making it virtually impossible for any bacteria to survive. This helps to neutralize the effects of broken eggs and soiled eggs. The eggs are washed in a mixture of 99.93% water to .07% Eggs So Clean ph Booster, and are in the wash booth for less than a minute. This product was developed specifically to serve as a shell egg cleaner in an Organic egg wash process.

The second product is called SparChlor Chlorinated Sanitizer, which is designed to sanitize the eggshell after the egg wash. It involves a quick, one shot spray to the eggs, followed immediately by the drying booth to evaporate liquid. This spray involves approximately 9 ppm chlorination. To put it in perspective, public drinking water contains 4 ppm chlorination, and is ingested directly into your body. This entails just a spray to the exterior of the eggshell.

We do not now and have never coated the eggshell with any product, whether mineral oil or petroleum based.

The procedures and compounds, such as these, which are specified for organic production and processing have been evaluated and approved for use under the National Organic Program. Basic cleaning and sanitation of food products and processing equipment has saved the lives of millions of people, and we stand behind this process of ensuring safe food for our consumers.

We do candle all of our eggs."

The full letter is available for reading if you contact me. Bottom line seems to be that this chlorine bath is necessary for the safety of the public. And for this they use a "minimal of amount', coincidentally twice as high as chlorine in water. But in contrast to water, you don't ingest the egg shells.

While Dr.Mercola's article worried me with treatment procedures on organic products that I was hitherto unaware of and would have ruled out by my own previous experience of having been an Organic Farmer's wife, my fears are somewhat alleviated. At least, let's hope for the best that they really do what they are claiming. Still waiting here for the official reply by IOFGA, the Irish organic Food Growers Assoc.

Authors Website: www.Inandoutofireland.blogspot.com

Authors Bio:
Ursula Siebert, originally a German teacher & lecturer turned businesswoman, lived in different European countries before coming to the USA. She is now a free-lance writer. Often tongue-in-cheek, she sees life and politics in the USA from the perspective of a European blow-in.