By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
DailynewsegyptDailynewsegypt
  • Home
  • Business
    BusinessShow More
    Suez Canal Bank signs protocol with Chinese TEDA to support investment in SCZone
    Suez Canal Bank signs protocol with Chinese TEDA to support investment in SCZone
    June 1, 2023
    Egypt, GIZ sign agreement of €8m to support e-government, innovation in management
    Egypt, GIZ sign agreement of €8m to support e-government, innovation in management
    June 1, 2023
    Egypt hosts InnoXera Summit on education in artificial intelligenceage
    Egypt hosts InnoXera Summit on education in artificial intelligenceage
    June 1, 2023
    Egyptian economy offers great competitive advantage, diversified investment opportunities: Ayman Soliman
    Egyptian economy offers great competitive advantage, diversified investment opportunities: Ayman Soliman
    June 1, 2023
    Egypt's new membership in New Development Bank enhances South-South cooperation: Al-Mashat
    Egypt’s new membership in New Development Bank enhances South-South cooperation: Al-Mashat
    June 1, 2023
  • Politics
    PoliticsShow More
    Madbouly reaffirms Egypt’s unwavering assistance for Palestine
    Madbouly reaffirms Egypt’s unwavering assistance for Palestine
    June 1, 2023
    Egypt reiterates firm position in support of Palestinian cause: Shoukry
    Egypt reiterates firm position in support of Palestinian cause: Shoukry
    June 1, 2023
    Egypt and France discuss joint cooperation in the health sector
    Egypt and France discuss joint cooperation in the health sector 
    June 1, 2023
    AU praises Egypt's role in achieving sustainable peace in Africa despite challenges
    AU praises Egypt’s role in achieving sustainable peace in Africa despite challenges
    May 31, 2023
    Opinion| Russia and China promote stability in the Middle East after the US withdrawal from the region
    Opinion| Russia and China promote stability in the Middle East after the US withdrawal from the region
    May 31, 2023
  • Interviews
    InterviewsShow More
    EFG Finance to launch unified platform gathering all its financing services: Alaa Al-Afifi
    EFG Finance to launch unified platform gathering all its financing services: Alaa Al-Afifi
    May 31, 2023
    I changed my artistic path to create ‘state of wonder’: Tarek Lotfi
    I changed my artistic path to create ‘state of wonder’: Tarek Lotfi
    May 25, 2023
    I adore Ramadan drama, ‘Telt Al-Talata’ series achieved great success: Ghada Abdel Razek
    I adore Ramadan drama, ‘Telt Al-Talata’ series achieved great success: Ghada Abdel Razek
    May 8, 2023
    We aim to establish Egypt as nearshore centre for Software AG for MET region: Rami Kichli
    We aim to establish Egypt as nearshore centre for Software AG for MET region: Rami Kichli
    April 29, 2023
    Egypt-Spain relations witness remarkable development in recent years: Spanish ambassador in Cairo
    Egypt-Spain relations witness remarkable development in recent years: Spanish ambassador in Cairo
    April 18, 2023
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
Reading: On the hunt for sustainable Easter eggs
Share
Notification
Latest News
Adding flavour of innovation to F&B industry in Africa
Adding flavour of innovation to F&B industry in Africa 
Women
Egypt’s Women on Boards Indicator records 19.7% in 2022 with 3% growth
Egypt’s Women on Boards Indicator records 19.7% in 2022 with 3% growth
Women
Suez Canal Bank signs protocol with Chinese TEDA to support investment in SCZone
Suez Canal Bank signs protocol with Chinese TEDA to support investment in SCZone
Banking
Egypt, GIZ sign agreement of €8m to support e-government, innovation in management
Egypt, GIZ sign agreement of €8m to support e-government, innovation in management
Business
Egypt hosts InnoXera Summit on education in artificial intelligenceage
Egypt hosts InnoXera Summit on education in artificial intelligenceage
Business
Aa
Aa
DailynewsegyptDailynewsegypt
  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
  • Advertise
© 2023 DNE News. All Rights Reserved.
Dailynewsegypt > Blog > Politics > On the hunt for sustainable Easter eggs
Politics

On the hunt for sustainable Easter eggs

Deutsche Welle
Last updated: 2017/04/15 at 1:11 PM
By Deutsche Welle 6 Min Read
Share
Easter and Sham El-Nessim eggs
SHARE

Even if you only buy eggs from free-range or organic chicken farms, chances are you’ve also eaten eggs from caged animals. In light of the Easter holidays, we shed light on the sordid business of eggs.Eggs sold in the European Union must bear a clear label that indicates how they were produced, among other things. Under this scheme, 0 stands for organic eggs, 1 for free range, 2 for barn or deep litter, and 3 for eggs from battery chickens.

Although the EU banned battery cages in 2012, farmers are still allowed to keep hens in so-called enriched cages, where hens can stretch their wings and roost on a platform.

Ever since the EU label legislation came into force in 2004, many people stopped buying eggs from group 3 – what’s now eggs from “enriched” cages. Many supermarkets in Germany don’t even offer them anymore.

They’re still offered in many other EU member states, though. In some countries, people buy mostly group 3 eggs.

You’re eating them, too

But even in Germany, many people still eat those eggs, even though they didn’t buy them raw.

“Processed eggs that are used in cakes or pasta don’t have to be labeled,” said Frank Waskow of the consumer protection agency for North Rhine-Westphalia.

“Eggs of group 3 are still being used for those products – probably for the majority of these products,” he added. “If it’s not stated otherwise on the packaging, you can assume [battery chicken] eggs have been used.”

And here’s the twist: Those colorful, ready-to-eat hard-boiled eggs that can be found in stores all over at Easter time are considered to be processed egg products, too. So they don’t have to specify what kind of egg has been used.

Indeed, it’s safe to assume these are indeed group 3 eggs, says Waskow. “Even though they’ve been cooked and colored, they are still a lot cheaper than normal eggs. That’s a clear indicator that these eggs can’t be barn, free-range, or organic eggs,” he told DW.

He says if you are concerned about animal welfare, it would be best to prepare your Easter eggs at home – with eggs that you’ve bought yourself.

Even organic is ‘animal abuse’

Lisa Wittmann of animal welfare group PETA disagrees. “As a consumer, don’t fool yourself – all forms [of egg production] in their current state are animal abuse. Even organic.”

In theory, hens have more space and comfort on organic farms, and they receive higher-quality feed. But those standards often only exist on paper, says Wittmann – and there’s no adequate monitoring.

In past years, PETA and other organizations have secretly filmed how hens are kept on farms. Many of these recordings show apathetic animals without feathers, dying and dead hens, and stalls drowning in feces – also on organic farms.

While Waskow believes this is the exception rather than the rule, Wittmann is convinced these practices happen across the board.

Both agree that it’s a scandal when farms where abuses have been documented lack any serious consequences – they don’t even have to fear losing their business license, for instance.

Off to the slaughterhouse … after one year

And another fun fact: Don’t be fooled into thinking that a hen brought up on an organic farm can look forward to a long life, says Wittmann. After one to one-and-a-half years, it’s off to the slaughterhouse – because older hens don’t lay that many eggs anymore.

Keep in mind that a red jungle fowl – the type of chicken that was used to breed today’s turbo species – can live up to 10 years.

Often overlooked are the conditions under which hens are being bred. Even though their offspring might be kept in more roomy areas as part of the organic deal, this doesn’t mean the mama chicken get the same treatment, according to Wittmann.

“Since animal protection regulations for laying hens don’t apply here, they can be kept under worse conditions,” she said.

And male chicken are considered trash since they can’t lay eggs – instead, they are killed immediately after they’ve hatched, a brutal practice known as chick shredding.

Ending chick shredding

The organic industry in Germany wants to do away from killing of male chicks, says Waskow, and there have been a few initiatives. However, more needs to be done to make this a broader practice.

For instance, one initiative allows detecting the chick’s gender before it has hatched – so the male chicks don’t even have to be born. Or, to use a breed that can both lay eggs and deliver juicy meat.

But it will be a long time until these solutions will actually be implemented – in the meantime, the egg industry will continue to kill off 330 million male chicks every year.

Food for thought as you crack into your next egg.

You Might Also Like

Madbouly reaffirms Egypt’s unwavering assistance for Palestine

Egypt reiterates firm position in support of Palestinian cause: Shoukry

Egypt and France discuss joint cooperation in the health sector 

AU praises Egypt’s role in achieving sustainable peace in Africa despite challenges

Opinion| Russia and China promote stability in the Middle East after the US withdrawal from the region

TAGGED: Easter eggs
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Email Print
Previous Article What to watch out for on Bundesliga Matchday 29
Next Article ‘Mother of all bombs’ – what has it achieved?
Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Ad image
Ad image

Stay Connected

Facebook Like
Twitter Follow
Instagram Follow
Youtube Subscribe

Latest News

Adding flavour of innovation to F&B industry in Africa
Adding flavour of innovation to F&B industry in Africa 
Women
Egypt’s Women on Boards Indicator records 19.7% in 2022 with 3% growth
Egypt’s Women on Boards Indicator records 19.7% in 2022 with 3% growth
Women
Suez Canal Bank signs protocol with Chinese TEDA to support investment in SCZone
Suez Canal Bank signs protocol with Chinese TEDA to support investment in SCZone
Banking
Egypt, GIZ sign agreement of €8m to support e-government, innovation in management
Egypt, GIZ sign agreement of €8m to support e-government, innovation in management
Business
//
Egypt’s only independent daily newspaper in English. Discuss the country’s latest with the paper’s reporters, editors, and other readers.

Quick Link

  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

© 2023 DNE News. All Rights Reserved.

Join Us!

Subscribe to our newsletter and never miss our latest news, podcasts etc..

Zero spam, Unsubscribe at any time.

Removed from reading list

Undo
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?