The importance of eggs in the diet, consumer preferences, the production and market of table eggs in Serbia

Nutrition is very important for maintaining the good health of people at all stages of life and as such should be the subject of interest not only for nutritionists, but also for each individual. The choice of food stuffs in the diet is significantly influenced by habits, and in recent decades it has been noticed that consumers are increasingly concerned about the way food is produced, its safety and harmlessness. Although eggs, as a food, have an excellent nutritional composition, they have had a bad reputation for decades due to the high content of cholesterol, which was considered bad, which is why many consumers avoided them or ate only egg whites. The results of research indicating that cholesterol in food such as eggs has an insignificant effect on blood cholesterol have contributed to solving the problem of cholestephobia, so that official nutrition organizations, around year 2000, recommended the abolition of restrictions on egg consumption. Egg consumption and method of preparation vary significantly among different countries, which may be related to dietary traditions and consumer preferences. During the last decades, the attitudes of consumers are gaining in importance and are being studied in relation to the characteristics of egg quality, according to production systems, the welfare of chickens, etc. A comprehensive view of consumers' perceptions, their habits and understanding of the role of eggs in the diet requires a systematic approach, at the level of the entire social community, including education, which is especially important for younger populations. The aim of this paper is to point out the importance of eggs in the diet, to show the situation in the sector of table egg production in Serbia, with reference to EU countries, including expected changes caused by changes in the legislation, which may have far-reaching consequences for this sector, consumers and the market situation.