Thursday, February 04, 2010

Why does yolk colour vary?

It's that time of year again when people start to complain that yolks are pale instead of the usual vibrant deep yellow or almost orange.
The reason of course is the lack of green feed and the carotene it contains to add the colouring intensity. On all cage egg farms and most 'free range' egg farms, the hens are fed a diet containing colouring additives to keep yolk colour consistent throughout the year.
Here, at Freeranger Eggs, we use no colouring additives and consequently yolk colour varies with the seasons. We feed out some lucerne and use greens from the veggie garden when the pasture has died off, but it's obviously not enough. The eggs taste the same and have the same nutritional value - they are just pale when compared with those laid at times of the year when there is plenty of green feed about.
Those buyers who want consistent yolk colours and who have no problems with eating chemical-laden food should trot along to the supermarket or buy from other producers who use coluring additives as a matter of course.

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