Egg freshness

[ncgrad00]

I have read that if you wash an egg when you get it from the hen it washed off the protective layer on the eggs that keeps bacteria out of it. Is this true and should I not be washing the egg? I guess if you dont wash it when you get it you should wash it before you use it correct?

 

[thechickenchick]

Yes and no. It is true it has a protective coating called a bloom. If you need to wash it because of poo or something else, then you should use it first. If it is not dirty you don't need to wash it at all. I wash very few of mine. I only do so when they are obviously soiled, then they go in a special basket to be used first.

 

[Jeeper1540]

this is an arguable topic. i was my eggs the day they are laid, some people dont wash until right before they use them. we use eggs fast enough at my house i dont worry about them not being fresh enough

 

[Crack N' Egg]

Hi! When a hen lays an egg it does have a protective barrier (called the bloom). If you're skeeved (sp?) out about dirty eggs, you can wash them. But the bloom does protect the egg against bacteria entering its porous shell.

The easiest thing to do is just wipe the dirtyness off with a damp paper towel. The eggs I sell to customers I clean off, but the ones I keep for myself I don't do such a great job. If I hard boil I figure it will clean itself. You don't eat the shells