Sunday, June 11, 2023, 1:35 p.m.
Eggs are a food that is widely consumed in Spain, but some may wonder why they are sold by dozens when they go shopping. The explanation comes from the cardboard egg cups where they are kept. They are compact and ecological with a very well thought-out design to transport this food so loved in Mediterranean gastronomy.
Egg cups accomplish the difficult task of making eggs travel long distances without harm. They can be picked up six by six or by the dozen with one hand, they fit perfectly in the fridge compartment, since they are the only food that has a specially designated place and, furthermore, they can be recycled. This everyday food hides a mystery, why are the egg cups 6 or 12?
Why are eggs sold by the dozen?
There are also large format egg cups, with 20, 30 or 135 eggs, but the one that an ordinary citizen usually buys is the dozen or half dozen. There are many theories about the choice of this figure, but the most widespread is that they are sold in dozens of egg cups.
When making egg cups, number twelve was chosen because it is the most suitable for storing eggs without suffering damage. This is because twelve has more factors than ten: one, two, three, four, six, and twelve. So it is possible to divide the dozen eggs in many different ways.
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– A group of twelve units.
– Two groups of six units
– Three groups of four units
– Six groups of two units
– Twelve groups of one unit.
However, there are more legends about it, in the Anglo-Saxon world, it is believed that everything comes from Roman heritage. When the Romans arrived in what is known as England, a system of measurements and units began to develop that mixed the local with the imperial.
In the first century AD, when England was under the rule of the Roman Empire, eggs sold for a penny. The next currency, the shilling, corresponded to twelve pence. Thus, the conclusion was reached that it was best to create packages of twelve eggs that could be paid for with a coin. Since then, the system has spread throughout the world, and has survived to this day.
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