There are no dumb questions. We all have to start somewhere. If you don't know, just ask. It is not a matter of intelligence, it is a matter of experience. Your experiences are just somewhere else but soon you will be an expert in this too.
The risk of an egg going bad is that bacteria can get inside it and multiply. If you see an egg immediately after it is laid it could look wet. The last thing a hen puts on that egg is a liquid we call bloom. It quickly dries and forms a layer that helps keep bacteria out of the porous egg. A hen can hide a nest on the ground, lay eggs for over two weeks, then incubate them for three more weeks and they generally don't go bad unless that bloom is compromised. Bloom is not perfect but it is darn good.
If an egg is washed in cold water the air inside can compress and create a partial vacuum which can suck water inside. If that water is dirty bacteria may get inside. If you wash it in warm water the air in the egg expands and keeps water out. When it eventually cools off it can create a partial vacuum but by then it should be clean.
You can compromise the bloom by washing it off or rubbing it off. But your refrigerator should be cool enough that bacteria cannot reproduce and multiply so any egg that is washed should be kept in a refrigerator. You can store washed for weeks if not months in your refrigerator.
The longer an egg is stored the more moisture it loses through the porous shell, whether or not the bloom is intact. That can make them easier to peel and may affect the consistency of the whites but it does not affect the nutritional value. That loss of moisture is the only real difference in a fresh egg and one that has been stored for a while.
Before the big commercial egg operations sell an egg they electronically candle it. It is not unusual for a hen to have a blood spot or meat spot in the egg. The commercial operations don't want something in the egg to surprise their customers so they remove any eggs with these defects ans sell them to bakeries, pet food manufacturers, or similar places that break the egg before it is used. It is a good idea to break our eggs into a separate bowl before you mix them with anything. You can follow this link to see what I'm talking about with blood spots and meat spots. It is one of the hazards of keeping hens for eggs, similar to growing your own fresh veggies. You are much more likely to find a critter on your fresh veggies than veggies you get at the store. You just deal with it and enjoy them fresh. I consider eggs and veggies much better that way.
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/ourbooks/1/egg-quality-handbook/
Welcome to the adventure and enjoy those eggs.
The risk of an egg going bad is that bacteria can get inside it and multiply. If you see an egg immediately after it is laid it could look wet. The last thing a hen puts on that egg is a liquid we call bloom. It quickly dries and forms a layer that helps keep bacteria out of the porous egg. A hen can hide a nest on the ground, lay eggs for over two weeks, then incubate them for three more weeks and they generally don't go bad unless that bloom is compromised. Bloom is not perfect but it is darn good.
If an egg is washed in cold water the air inside can compress and create a partial vacuum which can suck water inside. If that water is dirty bacteria may get inside. If you wash it in warm water the air in the egg expands and keeps water out. When it eventually cools off it can create a partial vacuum but by then it should be clean.
You can compromise the bloom by washing it off or rubbing it off. But your refrigerator should be cool enough that bacteria cannot reproduce and multiply so any egg that is washed should be kept in a refrigerator. You can store washed for weeks if not months in your refrigerator.
The longer an egg is stored the more moisture it loses through the porous shell, whether or not the bloom is intact. That can make them easier to peel and may affect the consistency of the whites but it does not affect the nutritional value. That loss of moisture is the only real difference in a fresh egg and one that has been stored for a while.
Before the big commercial egg operations sell an egg they electronically candle it. It is not unusual for a hen to have a blood spot or meat spot in the egg. The commercial operations don't want something in the egg to surprise their customers so they remove any eggs with these defects ans sell them to bakeries, pet food manufacturers, or similar places that break the egg before it is used. It is a good idea to break our eggs into a separate bowl before you mix them with anything. You can follow this link to see what I'm talking about with blood spots and meat spots. It is one of the hazards of keeping hens for eggs, similar to growing your own fresh veggies. You are much more likely to find a critter on your fresh veggies than veggies you get at the store. You just deal with it and enjoy them fresh. I consider eggs and veggies much better that way.
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/ourbooks/1/egg-quality-handbook/
Welcome to the adventure and enjoy those eggs.
