Compare eggs

Research · Eggs

What our research found about eggs

Egg cartons use a stack of terms that mean different things. “Cage-free” means hens are not kept in cages but can still be indoors; “free-range” adds some access to the outdoors without specifying how much; and “pasture-raised” is defined by third-party programs rather than a single federal grade. Organic is USDA-certified and covers feed and practices. Certified Humane and similar programs publish their own space and outdoor-access requirements, and the Cornucopia Institute’s egg scorecard rates organic brands on practices that go beyond the organic minimum.

Nutrition differences between egg types are small compared with the differences in how the hens are kept, so shoppers who care about farming practices should compare the certification and the producer’s published standards. Keep eggs refrigerated, and check the date and the grade on the carton.

Products

102 brands

Full labels recorded

550% of the shelf

Maker says organic

4maker’s claim

List an added sweetener

0of 5 labels

List a seed oil

0of 5 labels

Typical label length

1ingredients (median)

Counts use complete, current ingredient labels only. Records without a published label stay unknown and are never counted as clean.

What to compare

• Hen housing claim. Cage-free, free-range and pasture-raised describe different levels of outdoor access; look for a certifier name.
• Organic seal. USDA Organic covers feed and animal-care practices; it is verified by a certifier.
• Third-party certification. Certified Humane and similar programs publish their own requirements.
• Package size and date. Compare price per egg and check the carton date.

References

1. Egg grading and standards USDA Agricultural Marketing Service
2. Organic labeling and what the USDA Organic seal means USDA Agricultural Marketing Service
3. Certified Humane animal-care standards Certified Humane
4. Organic egg scorecard Cornucopia Institute
5. Eggs Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health