Eggs - how to keep

[TX Chick Noob]

At least 1 month. Regulations in the UK prohibit the washing and refrigeration of eggs before sale, so they are always unwashed and stored at the sort of temperature you're talking about. Stored thus, they have to be given a 'best before' date of 4 weeks from date of lay. They may be good for considerably longer, with all the variations everyone else has talked about playing a role, but they will be good for at least that long.

It’s interesting that in the US (at least where I live) the rules are the opposite. They have to be washed and refrigerated below 45 degrees.

 

[Perris]

It’s interesting that in the US (at least where I live) the rules are the opposite. They have to be washed and refrigerated below 45 degrees.

Indeed. Our rules trust the bloom to keep them good, while yours don't.

 

[saysfaa]

p.s. if you want hard boiled eggs the older ones peel better.

Older egg whites whip higher too.

 

[Alagirl]

waterglass them, they can last for 2 years.

it was something I recently came across and with all the literature on homesteading and self-sufficiency it had never come across my desk previously.
When I told my mom she remembered how in her youth (40s and 50s) it was commonplace, especially among folks who were not well off and could not afford a refrigerator at that time.

 

[saysfaa]

Well, this is interesting.
Instead of looking for changes in nutrients, I tried to find what researchers and the USDA did research. Then I started finding more.

"Haugh unit" (pronounced how unit) is a measure of the albumen height. It turns out there are lots of factors that affect that besides storage time. Age of hen, strain of the hen (white eggs vary less than brown eggs) heat stress on the hens, whether they stop laying for a time, how quickly they are cooled and how to what temperature they are cooled, whether they are oiled, ...

Vitelline membrane becomes less elastic over time. Then customers get more broken yolks when they crack their eggs. The study I found that concluded with, "...The results indicated that although the physical quality factors monitored in this study decreased during storage, egg quality was still acceptable beyond current recommended shelf life guidelines."

Ah, another study explained the veteline membrane is important because the yolk contains the nutrients needed for bacterial growth. If the veteline membrane isn't intact then the contents of the yolk diffuse into the whites with bad results. So, (my conclusion) is if you store an egg where it doesn't get jostled and leave it alone until you use it, you can safely store it longer than it you shift it around gently. And much longer than if you move it abruptly.

The pH inside the egg changes over time - no study yet that says so but that should affect how well various microbes can grow. If they did get past the bloom.

Edit to add
The yolk membrane elasticity decreases with the age of the hen also.

 

[saysfaa]

waterglass them, they can last for 2 years.

it was something I recently came across and with all the literature on homesteading and self-sufficiency it had never come across my desk previously.
When I told my mom she remembered how in her youth (40s and 50s) it was commonplace, especially among folks who were not well off and could not afford a refrigerator at that time.

Water glassing? Or liming? They are different. The liming seems to be the better choice. I have a few dozen eggs in lime solutions to see how it goes.

 

[Alagirl]

Water glassing? Or liming? They are different. The liming seems to be the better choice. I have a few dozen eggs in lime solutions to see how it goes.

It seems the term has been used interchangeably.
Liming I believe is the process. The article that appeared on Facebook a while back suggested eggs are still good after 2 years. Maybe not for friend eggs, but still good enough for backing and scrambling.
Clean, unwashed eggs....
And BYC has articles about it.

(and I am talking like the blind about color: I have yet to see my first egg from my girls)

 

[saysfaa]

OH. This one looks helpful - part of the abstract is "Past studies concluded that edible coatings have been successful to maintain the interior quality and reduce the microbial load on the eggshell surface. This paper provides an overview of the egg quality and safety and discusses the application of various types of lipid-, polysaccharide-, and protein-based edible coating systems on eggs. Edible coatings could be a viable alternative to existing techniques for maintaining the internal quality and safety of fresh eggs during long-term storage."

But I'm not willing to buy it. If anyone has access through school, it might answer several questions.

 

[Penelope59]

It is neither. It is up to multiple months for eggs with intact blooms at room temperatures. I'm not sure about washed, refrigerated eggs.

There is not a clear answer for several reasons. One is the temperature (as given above). Also humidity. Possibly another reason is is how heavy the bloom of a given chicken or maybe other such variations among chickens.

Another is how much rubbing the egg got between being layed and reaching the storage place. Sometimes I gather an egg with the bloom still damp; maybe some sticks to my fingers? Other times I gather a dry egg with two fingers and don't shift my hold until it reaches the egg carton. Other times, I stick it in my pocket then get mail, shovel the driveway, then go in and set it on the table on a dish towel, move it out of the way five times before putting it in the egg carton.

Then there is how much risk different people are willing to take. Or ewww tolerance they have. Usually it is less risk if the person is telling someone else how much to take. Especially if it is a person responsible for official recommendations.

Then there is the definition of "last." Egg contents can change quite a lot without becoming at all dangerous. Some changes probably result in less nutrition. Some might not. Last week, my husband told me to use just that day's eggs for his sunny side ups. He likes the high whites (and neither of us could think of a reason not to). For him, the eggs "last" one day. And I used 3 month old eggs in pancakes last week with no bad effects. I'm testing ways of keeping eggs that will last from molt to starting laying again in the spring

I've looked a little several times for studies done on the nutritional changes of eggs over time with and without the bloom but haven't found much.

Thank you so much! You’ve given me some great information to go with.

 

[Penelope59]

Well I keep unwashed eggs for up to a month on counter. If you put in fridge you're good for a month or more. I sell my unwashed non refrigerated eggs once a month no complaints. I just tried some older eggs and the only thing I notice is the yolks don't stand up as tall when fried. I've never had an egg go bad yet. So for more fresh eggs you can refrigerate to keep fresher. If I end up with a dirty egg I simply wash it off and put in fridge to eat first. Truth be told the eggs we buy at store are only a month old. That's what I know form my experience. Hope that helps.

p.s. if you want hard boiled eggs the older ones peel better.

Thank you!!