Don't eat eggs soon after Shravan month

During the month of Shravan as most of population avoid intake of non-veg foods, meats and eggs; all the eggs that already exist in market for sell wait for one to one and half months for selling due to shravan. During this period eggs remains stored at shops and chances of them getting contaminated is higher.

Eggs can be spoiled by two ways:

·       Spoiled due to long storage

·       Spoiled by micro-organisms

1.       Spoiled due to long storage: During storage eggs lose moisture and hence lose weight. Long storage causes shrinkage of eggs. The amount of shrinkage increases the size of air space in the blunt end of the egg(air space). The large eggs indicate much shrinkage. The white of the eggs becomes thinner and more watery as the egg ages, and the yolk membrane becomes weaker.

2.       Spoiled by micro-organisms: Micro-organism contaminate the shell egg, penetrate the pores of the shell to the shell membrane (eggs are required to be moist for this). After reaching the shell membrane micro-organism can contaminate the egg white and to yolk if it touches the shell membrane. After reaching the yolk, Micro-organism can grow readily and cause complete spoilage of egg.

Cracked eggs get spoiled easily than other eggs, as Micro-organism gets quick access to membrane from cracked space.

On the basis of ease of spoilage, foods can be placed in 3 groups:

§  Nonperishable foods- Do not spoils easily unless handles carelessly. Like sugar, gram, vinegar, flour.

§  Semi perishable foods- If these foods properly handled and stored they will remain unspoiled for long period of time. E.g. potatoes, cereals like rice, wheat etc. and pulses (dals all variety).

§  Perishable foods- This group includes most important daily foods that spoil easily unless special preservation method is used. E.g. milk, eggs, fish, meat and vegetables.

Eggs are perishable foods and therefore required to get used up within limited period of time, if not it will be spoiled and harmful micro-organism increases inside. If an egg is consumed which has increased number of harmful micro-organism, severe harmful side-effects occurs to our body, e.g. vomiting, diarrhea, headache etc. in severe cases person needs to be hospitalized to treat lose motion and food intolerance.

In hospitals, patients of diarrhea and vomiting are increased during the monsoon season and the most common reason for it is intake of food which was stale, brought from outside etc. and these reasons indicate the harmful micro-organism outbreak in food.

Month of shravan falls during the rainy season, because the moisture content in air increases during this season, foods are required to be handled carefully; as the moisture is good medium for growth of bacteria, molds and other micro-organism. All the perishable foods have the greatest moisture content (vegetables, egg, milk etc.) therefore growth of bacteria, molds and other micro-organism are highest in these foods. However, the quality of vegetables is visible but quality of milk and egg cannot be assessed just by observing it.

Micro-organisms in eggs

Eggs may contain few hundred to 100 million micro-organisms depending upon the way it is handled, poor handling includes poorly washed eggs, kept in hot environment therefore sweating of eggs, dirt over it, and cracked eggs (break of egg shell increases number of harmful bacteria, molds and other micro-organism while storing it) also contamination can occur during breaking and handling it.

A variety of kinds of organisms have been found in stored eggs, including micrococci, streptococci, coliforms, sporeformers and molds. Salmonellae in eggs can come from infected hens. Organisms such as micrococci and spores of bacteria and molds, will make up increasing numbers of bacteria and micro-organism as the storage continues.

The takeaways:

Stale egg has more movement of inside content when you give it a shake. Poor handling of eggs can cause Micro-organism spoilage which can severely affect your health therefore avoid eggs during monsoon; consult a Dietician to manage proteins in your diet.