El único Panamá - Week 42

Welcome to our weekly series about the uniqueness of Panama!

Egg-specially Interesting ~

Have you ever wondered why the eggs in Panama are not kept in the refrigerator and if they are safe to eat? If you shop in other foreign countries you might encounter the same, eggs in the open air and on a shelf next to the fruits and vegetables.

The reason may surprise you. It is linked to the way eggs are farmed and processed. In the United States and a few other countries it is required eggs are washed and sprayed with a chemical sanitizer before they are sold to the public. Washing removes the first line of defense that is naturally on the eggs making them more porous. Eggs are washed and refrigerated to reduce the risk of salmonella infection.

In Latin America and many other countries there is no washing step removing the natural protective coating. The eggs are cleaned while dry, transported and stored at room temperature.

In Panama each individual egg is marked with a date stamp (day / month / year). It is recommended to break them separately into a bowl before adding to your recipe!

Did you know....?

Chickens that eat plants with a higher concentration of certain pigments (called xanthophylls) produce egg yolks with a deep orange color.