WHAT DO YOU DO WITH ALL THOSE LEFTOVER EGGS?

Susan Mills serves as Food and Nutrition Specialist for University of Missouri Extension. She is headquartered in the Cape County office in Jackson. Mills is beginning her ninth year with University Extension, having transferred recently from Van Buren, Mo. She received both her B.S. and M.A. degrees from Southeast Missouri State University. Susan and her husband, Kevin, have two children and live in Millersville.

JACKSON - It happens to the best of us. You open the door of the refrigerator and tons of dyed eggs fall out of every nook and cranny. By this time after Easter, most of us are sick of eating hard-boiled eggs. The good news is that eggs are a very inexpensive form of protein, and provide many other nutrients as well. Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you consume your next egg salad sandwich:

* Once an egg is cooked, its natural defenses against bacterial contamination break down. Therefore, by keeping hard-boiled eggs refrigerated, they remain safe to eat for seven to 10 days.

* While many persons believe that brown-shelled eggs are more nutritious than white-shelled, the only difference is that they are produced by different breeds of hens.

* Does a blood spot, dark ring around the yolk, or a cracked shell mean you should pitch the egg? Blood spots and dark rings are harmless. The blood spot is simply the result of a blood vessel rupture on the yolk's surface. The ring comes from an interaction between the iron and sulfur naturally present in eggs. Unfortunately, if you find a cracked shell in your carton, it's best to throw out the egg because of potential microscopic bacteria, such as salmonella.

* Unfertilized eggs typically sold in supermarkets are likely to keep longer than the fertilized eggs available in many health food stores. The reason? Once fertilized, the yolk starts to develop, leading to quicker deterioration. By the way, fertilized eggs have no nutritional advantage over unfertilized ones.

*The best way to store eggs is in the carton in which they are purchased because they easily loose moisture and absorb odors from other foods. For best flavor and freshness, try to use within four to five weeks after you bring them home.

* A sure sign of egg freshness is a white that is thick and cloudy. As an egg ages, it gives off carbon dioxide causing the white to spread thin and turn clear.

* Three-quarters of an egg's calories, which range from 70 for a medium to 90 for an extra-large one, are provided by the yolk.

* All eggs contain less cholesterol these days, with a large egg having about 210 milligrams of cholesterol.

For more information, contact your local University Extension Center.