Pay attention to this date from now on. It’s not an ordinary expiration date.

As for me, and I am sure many other people who enjoy eggs, there is a certain

level of pleasure in breaking an egg. Whether I am preparing a fluffy omelet

for breakfast, baking a cake or simply a quick fried rice for dinner,

eggs are always on my menu. Occasionally, I get them from the farmer’s market,

but the majority of the time, they are from the supermarket and are sealed

in those typical boxes. As time passed, I realized that knowing the codes on these boxes is not a mere fascination, but rather a need.

Decoding Your Egg Carton

Have you ever looked at the numbers on the egg carton and wondered what they stand for?

Those numbers may look like some kind of code, but they are easy to understand

once you understand what they represent. So, let me get this straight, shall we?

The Julian Date: Your Egg’s Birthday
First of all, the three-digit code which seems to be a set of completely random numbers.

This is called the Julian date and it indicates the actual day of the year when the eggs were packed.

The Julian date is from 001 to 365. For instance, if you notice the code 001 on the carton,

it implies that the eggs were graded on the 1st of January. A code of 365 means December 31st. Pretty simple, right?

I still recall the first time I encountered this. I was in my kitchen,

looking at an egg carton and I felt like Sherlock Holmes solving a case.

“Well, these eggs are from March 15th,” I thought to myself,

feeling strangely proud of myself. It’s like knowing the password to a private group of people who are passionate about eggs.

The Packaging Plant Code: The Source of Your Eggs
Beside the Julian date, you may find a code that begins with the letter ‘P’ – this is the plant code and it indicates the location where eggs were processed. This information is especially useful if there is a recall of eggs. Understanding the plant code can assist with identifying if your specific carton is affected by the recall. It is a small aspect but it goes a long way in ensuring that the eggs you consume are safe.

Why This Matters
Perhaps, you may be asking yourself why all this is important. What is the importance of knowing the Julian date and the plant code? Okay, allow me to explain this to you.

A few years ago, there was a huge egg recall because of the salmonella contamination. I can still recall it as if it was yesterday because I had purchased a couple of cartons from the store. I began to panic as I wondered if the eggs in my fridge were among those being recalled. But then, I remembered the plant code and the Julian date. I checked the area and breathed a sigh of relief as they were not in any danger.