do eggs need to be refrigerated?

[zeruty]

I had some farm fresh eggs that were good for a couple of months in my fridge. (probably would have been longer, I just finished them off after a couple months and they were still good)
The old German lady who got them for me was perfectly content leaving them out all day long at work (she lived near a farm, so she'd pick up a bunch for several of my co-workers)
I've had store bought eggs that were bad after 2-3 weeks in the fridge.

 

[thescreensavers]

Well if there's any bacteria in the egg and it is left outside, the bacteria can grow, and get you sick.

 

[OFFascist]

Not really what you asked, but I've eaten eggs that we had in the refrigerator that were 2 months old.

I really wanted to make french toast so I opened them up and they looked and smelled fine so I figured as long as I cooked them alright it would be good to go.

 

[Epic Fail]

To test for the freshness of an egg, smash it against your forehead, it shouldn't crack if it is still fresh.

 

[coldmeat]

Originally posted by: waggy
no you do NOT have to keep eggs chilled. reason we do is they last longer and for samnalia.

so yeah i see why she threw a fit. you threw out some good eggs.

Though it is recommended that if you buy eggs from store to chill them (some put a coating on the shells that will make them spoil faster) if you get them from a farmers market or such they are fine to leave on the counter.


edit: we been thinking about getting chickens for the kids to raise. i had a great site that had some guidlines on how to handle the eggs and tell if they were good or bad.

I don't usually point out spelling mistakes, but wtf?

 

[MichaelD]

What's the diff b/t brown and white eggs? I've always wanted to know that. It can't be as simple as black or white chickens, right? Seriously...what's the diff?

 

[teclis1023]

Here in Paris, they're sold un-refrigerated.

...but then again, so is milk. So...you know... I just chalk it up to the Frenchies

 

[AstroManLuca]

I've eaten eggs that were over a month old before. Refrigerated, of course. Generally I try to eat them all before then but sometimes I just forget or don't get around to it.

 

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: MichaelD
What's the diff b/t brown and white eggs? I've always wanted to know that. It can't be as simple as black or white chickens, right? Seriously...what's the diff?

The only difference is the breed of the chicken. Some chickens lay white eggs, some chickens lay brown eggs. And, there are a lot of different shades of brown, from very light, to a very deep brownish-reddish. And, some chickens (nick-named "easter-egg chickens") lay eggs of other colors. Ameraucana chickens lay eggs varying from green to blue.

And, I'll repeat what's been said above - farm fresh eggs do *not* need to be refrigerated. We usually just leave our eggs sitting out. BUT, if we wash the eggs, then they're placed in the refrigerator. The process of washing them does something to the shells & makes it more likely that bacteria get inside.


Waggy, as far as raising them - if you really don't eat that many eggs, just get a half dozen chickens. Feed is relatively inexpensive, around $8 or $9 for a 50 pound bag of layer mash. Even if you broke even vs. the cost of the eggs, or even spent a little more in the long run, it's well worth it for the learning opportunity for your kids. (Plus, you get excellent quality, fresh eggs. Just don't make hard boiled eggs with the fresh eggs. Peeling them is a pain in the ass.)

Alkemyst - while I agree that bacteria growth is promoted by the warmer temperatures, I still don't believe that it's that important to refrigerate farm-fresh eggs in South Florida. Rationale: a chicken lays multiple eggs before setting on the nest. One egg per day. The oldest eggs might be 2 weeks old before they start being incubated by the chicken. Certainly, the bacteria doesn't kill the embryos inside - why would it be so bad as to make someone sick?

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: eplebnista
I've always seen them chilled at the store so I just went ahead and kept them chilled at home too. I also throw them out when they get close to the exp date on the carton.

I don't worry about the exp date. I always keep my eggs in the fridge. For one thing, I don't eat a lot of eggs. They will keep for months that way is my experience. I've had a few rotten ones. It's not hard to tell. I think it's foolish to throw out food just because it's beyond the exp date. That's just an arbitrary date they have to put on there, it doesn't mean the food is necessarily bad for you. Use your nose, your eyes, your taste. I've never gotten sick doing this.

 

[torpid]

Originally posted by: DrPizza
The oldest eggs might be 2 weeks old before they start being incubated by the chicken. Certainly, the bacteria doesn't kill the embryos inside - why would it be so bad as to make someone sick?

Most commercial eggs, and probably most eggs obtained at farmer's markets, are not fertilized. Young chickens are certainly susceptible to salmonella, though. Not sure about fertilized eggs.

 

[onlyCOpunk]

They don't even sell refrigerated eggs here.

So no, if you buy them warm, they can stay warm. If you buy them from a chiller, then they need to be refrigerated.

 

[seemingly random]

Originally posted by: Muse
... I think it's foolish to throw out food just because it's beyond the exp date. That's just an arbitrary date they have to put on there, it doesn't mean the food is necessarily bad for you. Use your nose, your eyes, your taste. I've never gotten sick doing this.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

The sell-by dates on food are often misunderstood to be expiration dates. Expiration dates are merely guidelines and cya for manufacturer liability. People who have the unrelenting urge to throw out good food need to get professional help. Common sense does work. It needs to be exercised or it will atrophy.

 

[Farang]

The United States and Canada are exceptions when it comes to refrigerating eggs.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Originally posted by: rh71

Originally posted by: AmberClad
Century eggs?

I eat that stuff once in a while. There are a lot of preservatives in them.

Originally posted by: moshquerade

Originally posted by: rh71
Because other places sell them off shelves. The containers say bacteria may grow if not refrigerated. For how long can they be safely consumed? They are fried, eventually.

where do you buy/see them on non-refrigerated shelves?

You can buy regular eggs off the shelves in many countries.

your an idiot!~! Eggs do not have preservatives,,,hahahahaa

 

[sao123]

yes eggs need to be refridgerated...

 

[txrandom]

No, they don't have to be refrigerated. It's advisable in most cases.

 

[Eli]

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