Yes, you should wash fresh farm eggs just before using them to remove dirt and bacteria, but never immediately after collecting, as this removes the natural protective "bloom" that keeps them fresh. Use warm, not cold, water (around 90-100°F or warmer than the egg) and gently scrub with a brush or cloth, then dry thoroughly and refrigerate if storing washed eggs.
A general rule, unwashed eggs will last around two weeks unrefrigerated and about three months or more in your refrigerator. If you're experiencing an egg boom, it's smart to refrigerate any unwashed fresh eggs you aren't planning to eat immediately.
Dirty shells contaminate clean cooking areas, kitchen utensils, food, or hands. Eggs have small pores which harmful bacteria can enter. Even shells that appear clean can carry germs. Even so, eggs do not need to be washed.
Warm to hot water causes the egg contents to expand which helps prevent bacteria from being pulled in through the pores. Colder temperatures will cause egg contents to contract and pull in any bacteria on the shell surface. Wash off any visible contamination. Wash eggs individually.
Wash Gently
For lightly dirty eggs a quick rinse under running warm water will do. For heavily soiled eggs gently scrub with a designated egg brush or a soft cloth. Add a drop of mild dish soap if needed but avoid harsh detergents that can break down the shell.
Since fresh eggs from your own chickens or a farmers market retain their bloom, it allows for room-temperature storage for weeks. You should wash them only when you are about to use them, though—otherwise, bacteria like Salmonella, E. coli, or Listeria on the shell could enter the egg when you crack it.
Egg shells are porous, but God designed them to have a micro membrane coating on them called “bloom” to keep potential baby chicks and their environment safe and clean. Bacteria has a hard time getting inside a dry egg. Washing dirty eggs removes the bloom and invites bacteria to be drawn inside the egg.
Do not use rags or sponges to scrub the eggs. Wet cleaning must meet water and egg temperature requirements. Eggs must be spray-rinsed with a sanitizing agent (Minnesota Statutes 29, Rules 1520). Keep eggs dry.
At the grading station, eggs are washed in a sanitizing solution and scrubbed with revolving brushes to remove dirt and any bacteria that may be found on the shell. There is no need to wash your eggs at home.
In Australia, most commercial eggs are lightly washed before they are sent to the shops. This helps remove dirt, feathers and surface bacteria from the egg shells. Unlike the US and some other countries, though, Australian producers generally don't use chemical sanitisers or aggressive washing methods.
It turns out, if you wash eggs, you wash off the bloom causing the need for refrigeration. You also run the risk of pushing bacteria into the egg by the act of rubbing when washing. The shell is actually porous.
Without a cuticle, eggs need to be kept cold — not for the product itself, but to discourage bacterial growth in and on it. Conversely, eggs with their protective layers intact are much less likely to be infected by salmonella — at least on the inside — and because of this they don't need to be refrigerated.
Most people infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, and vomiting 12 to 72 hours after infection. Symptoms usually last 4 to 7 days and most people get better without treatment. However, in some people, the diarrhea may be so severe that they need to be hospitalized.
To prevent problems with bacteria, we refrigerate our eggs after they are processed. But outside the U.S., most countries leave that protective cuticle intact. They also employ other methods to ward against salmonella, like vaccinating hens and packing and selling eggs near where they are laid.
Eggs may be refrigerated three to five weeks from the day they are placed in the refrigerator. The "Sell-By" date will usually expire during that length of time, but the eggs will be perfectly safe to use.
No. It's not necessary or recommended for consumers to wash commercially packaged eggs, and it may actually increase the risk of contamination because the wash water can be "sucked" into the egg through the pores in the shell. When the chicken lays the egg, a protective coating is put on the outside by the hen.
But before you crack them open for egg casseroles or boil them for egg salad recipes, you must wash them properly. They're not like the eggs at grocery stores, which are pre-washed and ready to use. No, farm-fresh eggs are coated in dirt, debris and other inedible contaminants.
The Clean-as-Needed Approach
If it looks clean, there's no need to wash it. Just store it as-is or gently wipe it with a dry cloth. Leaving the bloom intact helps protect the egg naturally. If an egg is visibly soiled, you can spot-clean it just before use, not before storage.
There's a difference between farm fresh eggs and store bought eggs, and that is the membrane. The membrane will cling on to the shell of the egg, being more tightly bound the younger it is. When doing hard boiled eggs with farm fresh ingredients, you want to make sure they're aged at least 3-4 days old.
Unfortunately, salmonella is odorless, tasteless, and displays no visual cues when present. The excellent news is that salmonella in raw eggs is rare and can be eliminated by cooking. So go ahead and bake with abandon (so long as the egg doesn't smell).
Eggs from backyard chickens are safe to eat when the birds are healthy, the coop is clean, the eggs have an intact bloom, and they are handled properly.
The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 1 in every 20,000 eggs are contaminated with Salmonella. Persons infected with Salmonella may experience diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, headache, nausea and vomiting.
While egg farmers supply a safe, clean, fresh product, it is possible for eggs to become contaminated by the food poisoning bacteria Salmonella. The good news is Salmonella is killed instantly at 74oC. So even if you are unlucky enough to get an egg with bacteria on it, the food will become safe by cooking it properly.
“Three simple steps will reduce the Salmonella threat for egg-hatching and poultry-production operations," said ARS microbiologist Mark Berrang. "The steps involve cleaning the eggs, treating chicks with a safe spray and using beneficial microbes to protect growing birds.
Refrigerated eggs should not be left out more than 2 hours. Any bacteria in or on an egg can multiply quickly at room temperature, and a cold egg left out at room temperature can sweat, increasing the potential movement and growth of bacteria. Should you also wash eggs at home? No.