EGGS AND THEIR VALUE AS FOOD. 25 
a time of scarcity. They are of interest to the housekeeper as she 
may find them at times very convenient or economical — for instance, 
for use on a family camping trip. 
As previously stated, eggs are used in cookery for their effects upon 
consistency and quality of foods as well as for their food value. As 
many housekeepers know it is possible, when eggs are lacking, to 
use other foods which will give something the same appearance as 
eggs; for instance, flour or starch may be used to thicken custards 
or gelatin used in making an icing or a pudding. The dish may be 
acceptable, but it goes without saying that the food value would not 
be the same as if eggs were used. 
There are a number of commercial products designed as egg sub- 
stitutes, some of which approach eggs in composition much more 
nearly than others. Of these products some are fairly well known to 
housekeepers, while some are used chiefly in commercial baking and 
for similar purposes. The various kinds differ much in composition, 
some being much more like eggs in protein content and energy value 
than others. In judging such products one should not rely upon 
appearance, for yellow color does not necessarily indicate other egg 
yolk characteristics. Some of these egg substitutes, at least, are 
manufactured from skim milk and are said to contain milk casein 
and albumin mixed with a little flour. Such a product is evidently 
rich in protein. Other egg substitutes have been devised which con- 
sist of mixtures of animal or vegetable fats, albumin, and starch or 
flour. 
Goods have also been marketed for use as egg substitutes which 
contain little or no albumin, but which are apparently made up quite 
largely of starch, colored more or less with some yellow substance. 
They are commonly advertised for making custards and puddings 
similar in appearance to those in which fresh eggs are used. If the 
housekeeper wishes to use them she should not overlook the fact that 
in the diet they can not replace fresh eggs, since they do not contain 
the same kind or quantity of nitrogenous matter or fat. This may be 
an important matter, particularly if such an egg substitute is used in 
the diet of invalids or children in the belief that it contains the same 
nutrients as eggs. 
IMPORTANCE OF EGGS AS FOOD AND THEIR PLACE IN THE DIET. 
That eggs are of great importance in the list of foodstuffs is shown 
by the last census report, which gives the number produced on farms 
in 1909 as 1,457,000,000 dozen, or 16 dozen per capita. Their total 
value was estimated at $306,688,960. If the eggs produced elsewhere 
than on farms were included this value would be considerably in- 
creased. The value per dozen ranged from 15.9 cents to 27.5 cents, 
with 19.3 cents as the average, and was greatest near large cities, 
