Brown eggs no longer best

Brown eggs are no longer the number-one choice of hue, according to a survey by the British Hen Welfare Trust (BHWT), which revealed that 85% of respondents don't actually mind what colour their eggs are. Indeed, 95% of the 1,700 chicken keepers interviewed by the BHWT said the colour of the eggshell made no difference at all to taste, and a mere 13% expressed a preference for brown eggs.

Although the reasons why free-range hens sometimes lay pale-shelled eggs are not yet fully understood, one theory suggests it's linked to a hen's exposure to strong sunlight. Despite being common overseas, the BHWT says white eggs are deemed to be ‘substandard' by the UK food industry, and end up being downgraded, resulting in financial loss for free-range chicken farmers.

The survey also highlighted the public's preference for free-range eggs; 95% said they liked to know when eating out if food used eggs from caged hens.

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