Egg storage temperature question - is this true?

[Rose_adamaj]

Years ago when I had 50+ layers I never refrigerated eggs in the winter.
I live in TX so I seldom deal with freezing temperatures.
I never had any problems with the eggs, they tasted as good in the winter as they did in the summer

 

[NatJ]

I read that, in the winter, when it's cold enough outside to be near refrigerator temperature, you shouldn't bring eggs into room temperature and leave them on the counter like the rest of the year, but they should go directly into the refrigerator and stay there until ready to use. I asked why, and there were varying answers...

I just found this thread, and I can't tell exactly what mechanism is involved, but I can see a reason for that advice:

We are always advised that eggs stored in the refrigerator should not be taken out and stored at room temperature. This applies to USA egg handling/selling (refrigerate the eggs and keep them that way), but it also applies to the European egg handling/selling advice (do not refrigerate the eggs, never let them get more than a certain amount cold; but at the least the British advise customers to then store eggs in the refrigerator at home and leave them there rather than storing them on the counter.)

If the basic idea is that cold eggs should stay cold, it would apply equally to eggs that were in a refrigerator and to eggs that were in chicken coop at refrigerator-temperature.

Whether taking eggs from a cool temperature to a warm one is actually a bad idea or not, I cannot say. But I do see the advice being consistent: cold eggs shouldn't be allowed to get warm again (except when cooking.)

Some people say that the resulting condensation compromises the bloom's protective properties, other people say it's nothing to do with the bloom, but the fats in the egg go rancid when there's a change in temperature like that, specifically from cold to less cold.

I poked around a bit more looking for sources, and it appears the Europeans are concerned about condensation allowing the growth of bacteria (not quite the same as compromising the bloom, but close.)

As I was looking around online, I found:

https://www.egginfo.co.uk/egg-facts-and-figures/faqs
This is an example of a British source. It says,
"For optimum freshness and food safety, eggs should be kept at a constant temperature below 20°C. To avoid the typical temperature fluctuations in a domestic kitchen, we recommend that eggs are stored in their box in the fridge."

Then it goes on to explain, "Most modern supermarkets are kept below 20°C so it is not necessary for retailers to refrigerate their eggs. Not refrigerating eggs in store also prevents significant temperature fluctuations (for example eggs being moved from a fridge to a hot car after purchase)."

(I notice that 20C is about 68F)

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX:32008R0589
(hopefully the link works)
This is a European Union document about egg handling. It says it was just replaced in 2023, but I'm citing it as an example because it's been in force for quite a while. Among other things, it says
"Cold eggs left out at room temperature may become covered in condensation, facilitating the growth of bacteria on the shell and probably their ingression into the egg. Therefore, eggs should be stored and transported preferably at a constant temperature, and should in general not be refrigerated before sale to the final consumer."

I have seen some articles criticizing that, and the way it's usually applied, because apparently they said "constant temperature" and to "avoid refrigeration" but put no actual limits on warm/hot temperatures.

There appear to be some kind of new guidelines for European eggs, but I think I've found enough to see why people might consider that chilled eggs (winter) should be stored in a refrigerator after that. I still don't know whether how important it really is, but I see that it is in line with egg-handling guidelines that are widely used.

 

[Aardyn]

I only had a few eggs this winter, all were dirty so I washed them and put them in the fridge. Two were frozen and cracked when I collected them, needless to say they did not go out onto the counter lol. It makes sense to me that if the temperature change is going to be great enough to cause condensation that you may want to store them in the fridge, though as a first time chicken owner I have no real experience.

 

[BiggDeal]

I actually was just asking same question. I got my first egg yesterday and came in from cold at 40 degrees outside into my counter at 68-69 but I’m wondering if cold already if they need to be kept that way mine is not washed nothing in it it was clean but I was going to collect a few more before using?

 

[BiggDeal]

I had no condensation on my eggs at all while in my counter…… does it matter in what you store them? I was just going to put mine in a basket but I noticed most egg collecting baskets are open more then enclosed ?

 

[RoyalChick]

I just found this thread, and I can't tell exactly what mechanism is involved, but I can see a reason for that advice:

We are always advised that eggs stored in the refrigerator should not be taken out and stored at room temperature. This applies to USA egg handling/selling (refrigerate the eggs and keep them that way), but it also applies to the European egg handling/selling advice (do not refrigerate the eggs, never let them get more than a certain amount cold; but at the least the British advise customers to then store eggs in the refrigerator at home and leave them there rather than storing them on the counter.)

If the basic idea is that cold eggs should stay cold, it would apply equally to eggs that were in a refrigerator and to eggs that were in chicken coop at refrigerator-temperature.

Whether taking eggs from a cool temperature to a warm one is actually a bad idea or not, I cannot say. But I do see the advice being consistent: cold eggs shouldn't be allowed to get warm again (except when cooking.)


I poked around a bit more looking for sources, and it appears the Europeans are concerned about condensation allowing the growth of bacteria (not quite the same as compromising the bloom, but close.)

As I was looking around online, I found:

https://www.egginfo.co.uk/egg-facts-and-figures/faqs
This is an example of a British source. It says,
"For optimum freshness and food safety, eggs should be kept at a constant temperature below 20°C. To avoid the typical temperature fluctuations in a domestic kitchen, we recommend that eggs are stored in their box in the fridge."

Then it goes on to explain, "Most modern supermarkets are kept below 20°C so it is not necessary for retailers to refrigerate their eggs. Not refrigerating eggs in store also prevents significant temperature fluctuations (for example eggs being moved from a fridge to a hot car after purchase)."

(I notice that 20C is about 68F)

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=CELEX:32008R0589
(hopefully the link works)
This is a European Union document about egg handling. It says it was just replaced in 2023, but I'm citing it as an example because it's been in force for quite a while. Among other things, it says
"Cold eggs left out at room temperature may become covered in condensation, facilitating the growth of bacteria on the shell and probably their ingression into the egg. Therefore, eggs should be stored and transported preferably at a constant temperature, and should in general not be refrigerated before sale to the final consumer."

I have seen some articles criticizing that, and the way it's usually applied, because apparently they said "constant temperature" and to "avoid refrigeration" but put no actual limits on warm/hot temperatures.

There appear to be some kind of new guidelines for European eggs, but I think I've found enough to see why people might consider that chilled eggs (winter) should be stored in a refrigerator after that. I still don't know whether how important it really is, but I see that it is in line with egg-handling guidelines that are widely used.

I believe European retail eggs are not washed like US ones are so they have their bloom intact.

 

[aart]

Usually it's so dry in most houses in the winter that condensation is not an issue.
I tested/observed my first winter with chooks, saw no condensation.
Have never bothered about it since.