'Sunday ya Monday, Roz khao ande' ; Clear message on World Egg Day

Kolkata:India can reduce its burden of undernutrition by adding eggs to the diet of its people.In an exclusive tete-a-tete with UNI, Vice-Chairman of International Egg Commission (IEC) Suresh Chitturi said how India can reduce its burden of undernutrition by adding eggs to the diet of its people on the occasion of World Egg Day today, which is celebrated around the world every year on second Friday in October, to help raise awareness of the benefits of egg and its importance in human nutrition.

Deliberating on the state of egg consumption in the country, he highlighted the IEC's effort to ensure the nutritive food reaches the palate of the most.

Asked how the plan is like to convince people to consume eggs since India is largely a vegetarian country, he said, '' Indian eating habits are fast changing, yet there are certain myths about considering eggs as non-vegetarian. Thanks to social media, there has been a lot of awareness on busting these myths and promoting egg as an inexpensive pack of protein & nutrition, and vegetarians have started including egg in their diet. ''

World Egg Day events and activities with the global egg industry help promote the value of egg to all, he said adding World Egg Day celebration is aimed at inspiring, educating and informing people  about the goodness of egg.

IEC had initiated many awareness programmes, and is consistently engaging with stakeholders through various platforms on the goodness of egg, and the number is increasing steadily, Mr Chitturi informed.

On World Egg Day, many countries around the globe organise exciting activities filled with adventure, fun and awareness promoting the benefits of egg to human health and encourage all age groups and fitness levels to participate.

Some of these activities include substantive PR campaign around World Egg Day, multiple educational activities, educational talk shows broadcast on Radio and TV, distribution of educational flyers, a World Egg Day press conference, engagement with schools through drawing and coloring competitions, egg shell painting, face painting, balloon blowing, food tasting, donations to schools and other communities, distributing boiled eggs from person to person down a human chain, with special t-shirts printed for the occasion, providing school children and teachers with information on eggs, alongside the health and nutrition-related benefits of eggs, a happy egg song and story book detailing the health benefits of eggs distributed to children, online marketing campaigns like 'Egg Recipes from Around the World' ? providing delicious egg recipes to help one enjoy cooking up ethnically inspired flavours from places near and far, as well as running an egg-inspiring quiz.

To a query whether he is working with the Union and State Governments to increase awareness and consumption of eggs, Mr Chitturi said,  '' The IEC constantly engages with the stakeholders communities in promoting the goodness of egg. This year, for promoting the goodness of egg and spreading awareness, IEC, through Srinivasa Farms Pvt Ltd, has undertaken a series of events. ''(UNI)