Eggs have a natural coating on them. Places like the U.S. wash this coating off as it can reduce salmonella exposure, but that then requires the eggs be refrigerated to prevent spoiling
Great question! It comes down to how eggs are processed after being laid—and it varies by country.
In the U.S. and Canada, eggs are washed and sanitized to remove bacteria like salmonella. This process also removes the egg’s natural protective coating (called the bloom), so refrigeration is needed to keep bacteria from getting in.
In many European countries, eggs aren’t washed. The natural coating stays intact, which helps keep bacteria out, so they can be safely stored at room temperature.
So it’s not about the egg itself, but how it’s handled. If the protective layer is removed, the egg needs the fridge!
Eggs have a protective coating on the outside of them. In the US that coating is washed off to prevent contamination from the chicken. It does mean the egg is less protected and needs to be refrigerated to maintain its shelf life.
Eggs come with a natural protective coating on them. Washing them reduces chances of infectious microbes hitchhiking around on the shells, but it also washes off this coating so they then need to be refrigerated to prevent spoiling.
Usually it comes down to how the eggs are processed. In the US, eggs are cleaned which removed an outer protective layer. They are pastured to compensate, however they are left needing refrigeration. For people who have their own chickens or in nations with other requirements, this layer is not washed away immediately. This gives eggs a room temperature shelf life. You could refrigerate them, but I’m not sure if that would extend the shelf life.
As far as safety goes, they are both safe ways to handle eggs and both will rot given enough time. So if you buy your eggs, store them how you found them in the store. That goes for most foods.
Everyone has mentioned the protective coating being washed off intentionally, and yes this is the reason they need to be refridgerated. But, no one has mentioned the why of it all.
In the US eggs go a LOT longer from time they are laid to eaten than most other places. It’s not uncommon for eggs to be shipped 5 and 6 states away if not further (think a couple countries away for EU folks). In most other places where the coating is not washed off, the eggs are local and consumed within a short period of time from the when it was laid.
Since chickens only have one hole, the eggs come out of their butt. You don’t want salmonella and e coli sitting there on an egg for an extended period of time while they are being shipped, stored, and waiting to be sold. Cross contamination to other foods is also a concern.
TL;DR Coating is removed for shelf life and sanitation.
One important point that is often missed in these conversations is that in countries where eggs are not refrigerated in store, it is still recommended to put them in the fridge at home.
The reason why they are not refrigerated at the store is to avoid moisture on the surface, which often happens due to condensation. Once you are at home, and keep them in the fridge the whole time, that is no longer a concern, and they will last longer in the fridge than on the counter.
The bugs that make us sick are called bacteria.
Chickens carry bacteria called e.coli and salmonella, these bacteria can be on and in the eggs that chickens lay. These bacteria like to grow within a range of 7 up to 50 degrees C.
By refrigerating eggs the bacteria doesn’t grow and won’t make people sick.
PLT: don’t eat raw eggs.
Source: worked for NZ food safety on an initiative to reduce illness associated with chicken and eggs.
To add to what others have said about the protective coating, if you submerge washed eggs in a jar of mineral oil you can keep them out of the refrigerator for a long time. I kept a jar of eggs for 1 year like this, they were fine.
Don’t listen to anyone who tells you it’s because of membranes or age of the eggs or any other reason because they’re all based on myth. It’s as simple as someone in the government back in the early 1900’s decided that eggs should be refrigerated and it’s just stuck but nobody knows why anymore. You just do it because you’ve always done it and that’s the recommendation now.
Comments
Depends if they’re washed or not.
Eggs have a natural coating on them. Places like the U.S. wash this coating off as it can reduce salmonella exposure, but that then requires the eggs be refrigerated to prevent spoiling
Great question! It comes down to how eggs are processed after being laid—and it varies by country.
In the U.S. and Canada, eggs are washed and sanitized to remove bacteria like salmonella. This process also removes the egg’s natural protective coating (called the bloom), so refrigeration is needed to keep bacteria from getting in.
In many European countries, eggs aren’t washed. The natural coating stays intact, which helps keep bacteria out, so they can be safely stored at room temperature.
So it’s not about the egg itself, but how it’s handled. If the protective layer is removed, the egg needs the fridge!
Eggs have a protective coating on the outside of them. In the US that coating is washed off to prevent contamination from the chicken. It does mean the egg is less protected and needs to be refrigerated to maintain its shelf life.
Eggs come with a natural protective coating on them. Washing them reduces chances of infectious microbes hitchhiking around on the shells, but it also washes off this coating so they then need to be refrigerated to prevent spoiling.
Usually it comes down to how the eggs are processed. In the US, eggs are cleaned which removed an outer protective layer. They are pastured to compensate, however they are left needing refrigeration. For people who have their own chickens or in nations with other requirements, this layer is not washed away immediately. This gives eggs a room temperature shelf life. You could refrigerate them, but I’m not sure if that would extend the shelf life.
As far as safety goes, they are both safe ways to handle eggs and both will rot given enough time. So if you buy your eggs, store them how you found them in the store. That goes for most foods.
In the US, eggs are washed and as a result lose, a protective coating. So they are refrigerated.
Other places do not wash eggs and also do not refrigerate them.
When I go to the farmer’s market, it always feels odd to buy eggs just sitting there on a folding table.
Everyone has mentioned the protective coating being washed off intentionally, and yes this is the reason they need to be refridgerated. But, no one has mentioned the why of it all.
In the US eggs go a LOT longer from time they are laid to eaten than most other places. It’s not uncommon for eggs to be shipped 5 and 6 states away if not further (think a couple countries away for EU folks). In most other places where the coating is not washed off, the eggs are local and consumed within a short period of time from the when it was laid.
Since chickens only have one hole, the eggs come out of their butt. You don’t want salmonella and e coli sitting there on an egg for an extended period of time while they are being shipped, stored, and waiting to be sold. Cross contamination to other foods is also a concern.
TL;DR Coating is removed for shelf life and sanitation.
One important point that is often missed in these conversations is that in countries where eggs are not refrigerated in store, it is still recommended to put them in the fridge at home.
The reason why they are not refrigerated at the store is to avoid moisture on the surface, which often happens due to condensation. Once you are at home, and keep them in the fridge the whole time, that is no longer a concern, and they will last longer in the fridge than on the counter.
The bugs that make us sick are called bacteria.
Chickens carry bacteria called e.coli and salmonella, these bacteria can be on and in the eggs that chickens lay. These bacteria like to grow within a range of 7 up to 50 degrees C.
By refrigerating eggs the bacteria doesn’t grow and won’t make people sick.
PLT: don’t eat raw eggs.
Source: worked for NZ food safety on an initiative to reduce illness associated with chicken and eggs.
To add to what others have said about the protective coating, if you submerge washed eggs in a jar of mineral oil you can keep them out of the refrigerator for a long time. I kept a jar of eggs for 1 year like this, they were fine.
Don’t listen to anyone who tells you it’s because of membranes or age of the eggs or any other reason because they’re all based on myth. It’s as simple as someone in the government back in the early 1900’s decided that eggs should be refrigerated and it’s just stuck but nobody knows why anymore. You just do it because you’ve always done it and that’s the recommendation now.
https://armchairexpertpod.com/pods/fb-eggs