If that's the case, then why are eggs not stored in fridges at the supermarket? Well, there's a simple explanation for that. It's apparently because store temperatures are kept below 20ºC, so refrigeration is unnecessary. 'This also prevents significant temperature fluctuations.
In Europe it's a health risk to store eggs in the fridge. In Australia, it's a health risk to store them out of the fridge. Who is right? The answer is all about Salmonella, the general name for about 2,000 types of bacteria that lead to food poisoning.
In Australia, most egg producers recommend storing eggs below 15C. This makes the fridge the best place for them. The Australian Eggs organisation also recommends a “climate-controlled refrigerated environment” for storing eggs.
Store whole eggs in a cool dry place, ideally in the fridge, until you use them. Storing eggs at a constant cool temperature will help to keep them safe. Do not use eggs after their 'best before' date. Make sure you rotate stock and use the oldest eggs first.
In Europe, farms vaccinate chickens against salmonella. That means the cuticle is still intact when eggs are sold. Refrigerating eggs with the cuticle intact could actually cause mildew to grow. Which could cause… you guessed it salmonella contamination.
The Egg Safety Center has many readers who often ask a similar question: why is it safe to eat room temperature eggs in some parts of the world, but not in the USA? The answer has to do with bacteria: Salmonella. In the United States, it's more than a food safety recommendation that eggs be refrigerated – it's the law.
Eggs must be kept clean, intact and fresh; stored at cool temperatures; and cooked well. Follow these practical tips to ensure that the eggs you sell stay safe: Do store eggs in their outer boxes at below 20 °C, until displayed for sale.
The best way to keep eggs is to store them in their original carton in the refrigerator as soon as possible after purchase. Cartons reduce water loss and protect flavours from other foods being absorbed into the eggs.
Most countries do not store their eggs in refrigerators. Instead, they leave them out at room temperature. This might seem like a food safety hazard, but both methods are safe. Salmonella is most commonly associated with chickens, and with eggs.
Most people will still put them in the fridge at home, but because in Germany and most of Europe eggs are not washed and sterilized, unlike in the US and Canada, whereby the protective layer on the outside can be damaged, eggs don't HAVE to be refrigerated so the store sells them on the shelf.
The delay in the growth of Salmonella in eggs has been found to be temperature dependent. For eggs held at room temperature, growth may be inhibited for 2 to 3 weeks. Conversely, for eggs stored at 37°C, growth may occur in a few days.
British authorities actually discourage refrigerating eggs on the theory that chilling and then warming could create condensation, which would allow salmonella to penetrate the shell.
There are a few other countries that also sterilize and refrigerate eggs before they're sold. If you live in Australia, Japan, Denmark and Sweden, your eggs are just like those in North America – so make sure you're keeping them refrigerated.
Egg washing is not required in Australia, but sale of dirty eggs is prohibited by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). Storing washed eggs below 7°C can help reduce the ability of Salmonella to grow.
Husbandry and hygiene practices in Europe
In Europe, it is unlawful to wash eggs because this process is believed to damage an outside layer of the egg shell known as the cuticle, making it easier for bacteria to penetrate the inside of an egg.
Eggs should not be stored on the refrigerator door, but in the main body of the refrigerator to ensure that they keep a consistent and cool temperature. Leftover raw egg whites and yolks should be put in airtight containers and stored in the refrigerator immediately.
If eggs are left unwashed with the bloom intact, you can place them on your kitchen counter. Unwashed, room temperature eggs should keep for about two weeks. If you aren't planning to eat your eggs for a while, we recommend refrigerating them.
Don't store eggs in the door of your refrigerator.
Despite how convenient the refrigerator door seems, eggs are best stored in the main portion of your fridge on the middle shelf, ideally toward the back.
You can leave eggs on the counter about two hours at room temperature or one hour if the temperature is 90 degrees F or hotter before you start to worry, per the Egg Safety Center. After two hours, you'd be safer to throw those eggs out and get a fresh dozen rather than chance it.
Storing eggs at room temperature isn't advised in the United States because of Salmonella and other pathogens. When we asked Clark whether it's safe to keep store-bought eggs at room temperature in the U.S., her answer was a clear "no."
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. This will help them last longer.
Though eggs are sold un-refrigerated in New Zealand, egg organisations (such as I Love Eggs) recommend refrigerating eggs at less than four degrees to give them longer life – around 35 days after being laid. But it must be said: eggs don't have to be refrigerated in New Zealand.
The Europeans, on the other hand, don't wash their eggs in order to rely on this natural “cuticle” to protect from contamination entering the egg. Many European countries, like the UK, vaccinate their hens to prevent the transmission of salmonella when the hens lay eggs.
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. If not washed, they can keep without spoiling for weeks without refrigeration.