The Great Big Egg-tasting Test

In a recent blog post by Lorenzo the Llama about Chickens and Eggs, the various differences between free range, organic and caged eggs were discussed. In some of the ensuing comments it was asserted that there is a taste difference between these sources. Now, the choice of whether to buy eggs from free range hens or eggs from caged hens is essentially a moral one and remains a personal judgement. However, on the matter of taste we are able to make a scientific exploration of the phenomenon by devising a taste-trial experiment.

In this case, three eggs of known origin were cooked and supplied "blind" (i.e. she did not know which egg was which before tasting) to Lorenzo for breakfast this morning. It was pointed out that a negative result (that is, failure to correctly identify any of the eggs) would really defy any notion that taste is a useful basis for selection.

On the other hand, with a sample of only three eggs in a single trial, correct assignment could be expected in about 1 in 6 trials simply by guessing. You would need to reduce this to about 1 in 20 before the result could be regarded as "significant" and so more trials would be necessary. For example, you would not market a drug that had a 1 in 6 chance of killing you.

However, a first time correct assignment would be an extremely suggestive result that would undoubtedly justify the award of a research grant for further study.

Lorenzo was offered a choice of cooking method, and accepted my suggestion that boiling would eliminate another variable in so much as all three eggs could be put into the water at exactly the same time and boiled for exactly the same duration.

Lorenzo the Llama ponders her choice

She was told that the three eggs represented: (a) "Farm Fresh" free range egg; (b) "barn egg", i.e. from hens that had been allowed to move about in the barn; (c) egg from a caged "battery" hen.

I did NOT tell her that the "caged" egg was in fact over a week older than its "sell by" date, and nearly two weeks older than its "display date. Lorenzo said she would make her choice on the basis of taste and colour preference.

Using clues from yolk colour - that was no yolk!

Here are the results.

Egg A: Actual: Barn egg.
Lorenzo's judgement: Her second choice

Egg B: Actual: Caged egg.
Lorenzo's judgement: Her FIRST choice

Egg C: Free range egg.
Lorenzo's judgement: Her THIRD choice

Whilst this simple test cannot be said to "prove" anything, there is clearly no evidence whatsoever emerging from this trial to suggest that free-range eggs taste any "better" than caged eggs. Indeed, it is fascinating that her favourite was the "mature" caged egg. But then taste is a matter of personal value judgement.

Maybe the Chinese have something after all by letting their eggs mature ofr 100 years.

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Maalie in Lapland

Maalie is about to depart for Lapland. His aim is to be north of the Arcticle Circle about the time of the Autumn Equinox in order that appropriate seasonal rituals may be undertaken. He looks forward to seeing you again in mid-September.