Egg storage

jawilcox29: The vast majority of Americans do store their eggs in the refrigerator since the store bought eggs have had the bloom removed; thus they will spoil much quicker on the counter. There are those who have their own chickens who keep them out but the numbers are much smaller. Old habits are sometimes hard to break.

bworch: As for storing the eggs on the counter, it doesn't matter if they are fertile or not really as far as being able to use them at different ages. Eggs can last out on the counter about six weeks on the counter usually without much trouble and without extra measures to keep them fresh. If you can keep them in a cool room with the humidity up just a little bit (think basement) they would probably last longer since the air cell won't evaporate as fast.
 
Why does the general American public refrigerate eggs?

This is a requirement from the USDA for all egg selling operations. Refrigeration is required because the eggs from egg factories are washed, scrubbed and cleaned every way possible which removes all natural protection from the shell making it porous thus inviting bacterial infiltration. I suppose eggs from even small sale place (including "extras" a backyard chicken raiser might occasionally have) are supposed to be washed and refrigerated. I don't but I do tell the people I sell to (all friends) that they are not washed or refrigerated. If one was dirty and actually needed to be washed, I note that on the egg and refrigerate. Of course this has not been a problem for months as my lazy butt chickens mostly took off November through ... well I don't know, I only have 4 of the 10 laying even this last week of February.

my original question was how long can you keep fertilized eggs to eat, in a cold pantry, not cleaned. Thanks

They won't develop unless they are kept at a temp of ~100F. Thus they can be kept on the counter as long as any other freshly laid unwashed egg. A couple of weeks easily.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom