Every time we get to the supermarket, while standing before the egg section a question arises: should we
keep them in our fridge or not? Eggs in supermarkets are usually displayed outside the refrigerator in order to avoid, especially during summertime, excessive temperature swings that could break the shell. So, does this difference really change the product’s quality?
The importance of the farming method
There are some differences about the type of farming methods. Generally speaking, eggs from free-range hens are preferable because the animals are free to move around in a fairly large space. Thus the eggs turn out to be of higher quality. In many cases, however, hens are caged and subject to intensive farming methods. Hence the need for this kind of eggs to be kept refrigerated. The main reason is due to the risk of salmonella, the most common bacteria that can infect eggs. As a matter of fact, it can either directly infect the laying hen or can be transmitted through the feces of an infected hen through contact. And since the hens, if intensively farmed, are stuck in cages, really close to one another, eggs are much more likely to become infected.
So should we keep our eggs in the fridge? Here’s the answer
There are some foods that it’s better not to store in the fridge, are eggs one of them? Let’s see.
In order to avoid the risk of salmonellosis in America, farmers must subject their eggs to a “disinfectant shower” that can also have drawbacks. If the disinfectant fails to kill the bacteria, a humid environment encourages the proliferation of salmonella and also increases the risk of shell breakage. Therefore, it’s important to cool the eggs immediately, in order to make them less vulnerable. This is absolutely mandatory for U.S. health authorities. From the moment you keep them into the fridge, eggs must be kept at this temperature; once out of the refrigerator, you should cook and eat them within a maximum of 2 hours.
Generally speaking, both in the United States and abroad, it is possible to keep eggs in the fridge or not, as long as you avoid exposing them to sudden temperature changes. These differences in temperature will probably deteriorate eggs and make them potentially harmful.
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