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Should you switch to cage-free eggs? Arkaprava Bhar, campaign manager for HSI India, the organisation spearheading the cause for cage-free eggs in India, says yes and tells t2 why...
What are cage-free eggs?
These are eggs produced in cage-free conditions. Instead of cramming chickens into tiny cages, the birds are made to live in large enclosures where they get enough open space to grow and lay eggs.
Do these eggs taste better?
Chefs would know that better.
What’s the downside of producing eggs in battery cages?
Not only can’t the birds move about, spread their wings and breathe properly — each bird gets less than the size of an A4 sheet paper to move around — their excreta pile up and expose them to toxic gases like ammonia and hydrogen sulfide.
Cage-free eggs cost way more than battery-cage eggs...
This is an issue egg-producing farms face across the world. The point is, an increased demand from consumers will lead to mass production, which will automatically bring down the price. Consumer awareness is the need of the hour. Animal welfare organisations around the globe are rallying against the inhumane conditions laying hens are subjected to. They have been urging egg production farms to switch to cage-free conditions and are also trying to create awareness among consumers.
What’s the role of the Indian hospitality industry in promoting cage-free eggs?
Indian factory farms confine more than 200 million hens in barren battery cages. Each bird lives within a space smaller than a sheet of paper for more than a year. By choosing cage-free eggs, leading star hotels like Hyatt Regency, The Park and ITC Sonar are setting a positive trend in the Indian hospitality industry to help improve the treatment of farm animals. Already the European Union has outlawed the use of conventional cages for hens. Now it’s time for the government to prohibit battery cages in India.
Are cage-free eggs more nutritious than battery-cage eggs?
“Nutritionally, a cage-free egg is no different from a general poultry egg. The nutrition value depends on the feed served to the chicken, and not on the living conditions. Often antibiotics and hormones are included in the feed, leading to remnants of the drugs leeching into the eggs. The chances are less in cage-free eggs as antibiotics are not usually administered to the hens,” says nutritionist and t2 columnist Hena Nafis
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From battery cage to cage-free
“Cage-free egg production is a significant improvement over conventional battery cages. These hens are allowed to walk around, perch and lay eggs in a nesting area. By embracing cage-free eggs we can help move towards a more humane and healthier world,” said Vikram Ganpule, executive chef at Hyatt Regency, the first hotel to go the cage-free way in Calcutta.
“The Park Calcutta has chosen to use cage-free eggs as we are committed to having a socially responsible business and want to have a positive impact on the environment and animals,” said chef Sharad Dewan, area director (food production), The Park. The Bridge raised awareness by hosting an Egg Festival in March with cage-free eggs.
“In our endeavour to ensure a socially responsible enterprise with a positive impact on the environment, cage-free eggs have been introduced in dishes where egg is an ingredient,” said Mayank Kulshreshtha, executive chef, ITC Sonar Calcutta, the latest to join the bandwagon. At a recent cake mixing ceremony in the run-up to Christmas, the hotel used cage-free eggs.
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Where can you buy cage-free eggs?
The only brand of cage-free eggs available in retail format in India right now is Keggs (picture left). It’s available at Spencer’s outlets, priced at Rs 80 for a pack of six. “We are getting a very good market response. Consumers are showing interest in buying our organic eggs that are cage-free as well,” said Sanjay Mitra, GM (eastern India), Keggs. Organic farms are also planning to take the flight, er, leap. “The farms already exist and keeping poultry is an integral part of organic farming. So yes, we’ve been planning to do cage-free eggs, we just haven’t got our act together yet,” said Haimanti Dhir, proprietor of Natureway Agro Products, one of the early birds in the organic food sector in Calcutta.
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Cage-free Deviled Eggs
Ingredients:
44 cage-free eggs
425g horseradish
41 tbsp pommery mustard
41 tsp white wine vinegar
41 tbsp minced shallot
4Coarse salt and ground pepper
4Paprika, for garnish
“Here’s a cold dessert with cage-free eggs. It is stuffed eggs with yolk, horseradish and mustard,” shared chef Sharad Dewan of The Park.
Method:
1. Place eggs in a medium saucepan; add cold water to cover by one inch. Bring to a rolling boil. Remove pan from heat; cover, and let it stand for 12 minutes. Drain and run the eggs under cold water to cool.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together horseradish, mustard, vinegar and shallot.
3. Peel eggs and halve lengthwise; remove yolks, leaving the whites intact. Transfer the yolks to the bowl with the mixture, season with salt and pepper. Mash with a fork until smooth.
4. Pipe the yolk mixture into whites. Sprinkle paprika just before serving, or cover with a plastic wrap and refrigerate.
