Eggs Refrigerate or Not

[Groovy2]

Im wondering about the need to Refrigerate eggs -

my research it seems that eggs are supposed to be
Refrigerated if the eggs have been refrigerated previously -

But
if the eggs have Never been Refrigerated before 
the eggs Dont Need to be Refrigerated and can
be stored at room temperature for a pretty long time -

Most eggs I see are just slightly Cooled at the store 
not what I would think of as Refrigerated --

In Europe apparently eggs are Not Refrigerated at all -

Dose anyone here store eggs not Refrigerated eggs -
and how long do eggs last for you ???

Jay

 

[lenny flank]

Eggs have a waxy coating that protects them. In Europe they don't wash the waxy coating off, so it's safe to not refrigerate eggs. In the US, however, they do wash off the coating, so it's NOT safe to not refrigerate eggs.

 

[Seminole Wind]

Eggs have a waxy coating that protects them. In Europe they don't wash the waxy coating off, so it's safe to not refrigerate eggs. In the US, however, they do wash off the coating, so it's NOT safe to not refrigerate eggs.

it is not a "waxy" coating it is a natural membrane called a/the bloom, it is wet when first laid and dries quite quickly. it acts as a semi-permeable membrane and protects the egg from contaminates entering through the shells pores while still allowing the egg (and the developing chick) to "breath" this is not fool proof! weather the membrane has been washed off or not does not make safe or unsafe to store without refrigeration. while when storing eggs, unwashed eggs can last longer than a washed egg that timeline is measured in months. i am guessing we are not talking about long term storage but holding onto eggs for a week or 2 while you use them up. temperature/humidity for storage is important, the closer you can store them to 40-50 degrees and 70% humidity the longer they will last. i personally have stored washed eggs long term (in the range of 5-6 months) by just keeping them cool. the older they get the more "bad" eggs you get. you will know it when you crack a bad egg... dont eat that one.

in general, for short term storage, keeping them cool will be fine. if you are traveling/living in warm weather and you dont have a cool place to keep them they wont last as long. i start seeing degraded eggs after a week or so in the summer. so if you are in warm weather and cant keep them cool, you might want to refrigerate. in the winter, i never have problems with eggs going bad before i eat them and i usually buy 3-4 dozen at a time

 

[maki2]

Here is a link to a more complete answer of why eggs purchased in stores in the USA must be refrigerated.
https://www.businessinsider.com/should-you-refrigerate-eggs-2014-7

 

[MrNoodly]

Unfortunately, some egg farmers who sell directly to customers wash their eggs because people don't like dirty looking eggs.

 

[Almost There]

So true Mr. Noodly, I had to call ahead to my egg farm and special order unwashed eggs when I needed them for canoe trips. And until they got used to me doing this I always heard 'Are you absolutely sure you want unwashed eggs?'...ummm yea, that's why I'm asking for them ...duh!

 

[highdesertranger]

I don't refrigerate mine. in the winter they will easily go a month and more. in summer if it's real hot 90+ after a couple of weeks you start to loose a bunch. yes unwashed last longer. no need to crack an egg to find out if it's bad, do the float test. place the egg in enough water to cover it and then about an inch more, if the egg floats it's bad, if it stays on the bottom it's fine, if it's in between well you can toss it or chance it, up to you. highdesertranger

 

[RogerD]

Here is what the FDA says about egg safety.

If you don't want to read, they say to refrigerate at 40 or below and use within 3 weeks.

https://www.fda.gov/food/resourcesforyou/consumers/ucm077342.htm

 

[Ken in Anaheim]

Wipe em all with mineral oil and they should last much (weeks) longer.

 

[John61CT]

weeks and weeks doing nothing.

can tell immediately if going bad

 

[WalkaboutTed]

I knew some boat people who didnt hsve refrigeration. When going on a long passage, they would dip the eggs in paraffin.

I've gotten sick several times from contaminated foods, so I'm pretty neurotic about food safety. I've gotten food poironing multiple times as I used to be quite an adventuresome eater. No more. I completely lost a whole two weeks, IVs and all, in the Philippines from eating bad shellfish that tasted fine (Vibrio Cholera). I guess it is better that I don't remember it. And nasty case of shigella. The last two weren't from a lack of refrigeration, though. I follow the old rule: "lIfe begins at 40 (degrees)". The only risky foods I eat nowadays are sushi and ceviche. I'm sure I'll get sick again some time, but hey, that's life.
Ted

 

[Groovy2]

Thanks that is what I thought that unrefrigerated eggs lasted pretty long time -

being single for the last 25 yrs I have prepared /cooked 98% of the food Ive eaten -
Only time I have gotten food poisoning has been from restaurants -
makes me realize how Nasty some restaurants have to be -

I worked at Whole Foods main store in Austin TX
I would get sick anytime I ate food from the deli there that was not Hot -

One day I was in the deli kitchen and looked at the industrial can opener -
it had Nasty Gooo caked on the cutter blades -
looked like it had never been cleaned

I reported it to the store manager and it was finally cleaned -
no telling how many Thousands of people that nasty can opener
had made sick -
the rest of the kitchen was spotless

moral to the story is Clean the can opener often

 

[Dingfelder]

I haven't refrigerated virtually any eggs I've bought for years now. No bad results even leaving them out for weeks.

The only time I worry about it is when it's toward the height of our 90 to 100 degree-plus summers. At that point, I've seen fruit go bad in a single day, so I don't take many chances with eggs either.