It will be good for the industry to be in celebratory mood for World Egg Day on October 13. Avian influenza, while not so much in the headlines of late, continues to cause significant problems for many, while concerns over Fipronil contamination have hardly been a positive.
But World Egg Day, or Egg Week as it is in some countries, is a chance for egg producers, retailers and caterers to highlight what good the industry does.
The event, which has been running for 22 years, achieves far wider engagement than simply the egg industry, drawing participation from charities to the Premier League football club, and celebrations take place across 40 countries.
A lot of organizations around the world are producing their own materials to support the day, but in addition, the International Egg Commission has materials that can be downloaded and adapted. So, if you are involved in the industry, or care about nutrition, there’s no excuse not to take part.
From African churches to Brazilian breakfasts
2016 saw initiatives supporting the egg sector ranging from religious services to spokespeople appearing on chat shows.
In Nigeria last year, the Foursquare Gospel Church in Lagos celebrated the egg by dedicating their Sunday service to the theme, “Egg is Life.” In the hope of overturning misconceptions and misinformation about eggs, there was a talk on the benefits of eggs and several egg recipes were given by a dietitian. The church also boiled eggs for worshippers and the wider community.
In Indonesia, World Egg Day activities included educational advice given via TV and radio talk shows. Additionally, a walk attracting 3,000 people was organized along with a seminar on animal husbandry. Chickens and eggs were donated to school children.
Children were also one of the points of focus in Brazil, with activity books called "Superovo" distributed to children there. Other activities included a press breakfast and a workshop on health and egg production.
Sweden saw a competition organized to find the best egg recipe, and advertising promoting eggs was broadcast on the radio, alongside promotion on social media and in food outlets.
And if the above examples don’t tempt you, how about a few odd egg facts:
- The largest hen egg recorded had five yolks.
- The heaviest known egg was 6 times the average egg weight, coming in at 454 grams.
- Madrid holds the record for the biggest omelet ever made, consisting of 5,000 eggs.
- 350 eggs per second are eaten in the U.K. alone.
Have fun!
