Why Eating The Freshest Ingredients Matters

When you are shopping in the dairy aisle, freshness matters the most. The fresher the ingredients in the grocery store, the longer they'll last at home, and the healthier they will be to enjoy. It's common practice to check the sell-by and best-before dates when selecting a carton of eggs to bring home. If you are going by sell-by date, you should use the eggs within 30 days of purchasing. For a best-by date, you can use the eggs within two weeks of that date as long as they're stored in the coldest part of the fridge.

To ensure freshness, checking the dates on the cartons is just the first step. It's a good idea to know where your grocery purchases are coming from, and that's especially true when selecting the best eggs.

A 2014 independent study published in The Journal of Applied Poultry Research found that Eggland's Best eggs stayed fresher longer than ordinary eggs. They maintain superior freshness due to an improved diet and strict management practices. In its production, processing, and storage practices, Eggland's Best makes freshness and health a priority. Feeding its hens a superior, wholesome vegetarian diet and adhering to improved handling and processing practices ensures that Eggland's Best eggs arrive fresh at the grocery store and maintain their freshness attributes longer.

Quality control is key to freshness. Eggland's Best follows a 27-point quality and freshness program. This is why the USDA allows EB to print "stays fresher longer" right on the carton. Each step — from feeding, to laying, to inspecting, to crating, to checking freshness in the grocery store — is closely monitored. Feed samples from each farm are checked regularly for consistency of nutritional value. An inspector monitors egg production and handling at the farm. Additionally, eggs are routinely tested and evaluated for quality once they're at the grocery store.

Generic eggs are allowed to be stored for 21 days before being packed into cartons, whereas Eggland's Best eggs are generally packed into cartons with 24 hours after being laid, and in no case longer than 7 days. As with any perishable foodstuffs, buying the freshest ingredients should be a priority because the fresher the food, the more nutritious it is to eat.