found an interesting article on egg storage

[Richard]

its a long article but was interesting here is the link
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Sust...ggs-a-Year-or-More-Without-Refrigeration.aspx

 

[katrinag]

That was pretty cool.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

That was an interesting and good read. I always keep my fresh eggs on the kitchen counter to use, after a week if there are a surplus they go in the refridge and sold. I can't keep eggs here longer than 2 weeks at a time, either they are eaten here at home or someone is buying them.

 

[sunnychooks]

Hooray for unwashed homestead eggs!

 

[digitS']

Gracious, that "study" was done in 1977. (Wonder if I read it way back then

.)

The close (and very subjective) descriptions of 6 month-old eggs as

"good" for the refrigerated unfertile eggs from the wholesaler, and
"good, almost fresh" for the refrigerated fertile eggs from a "homestead-type" source

suggests to me that washing and fertile or unfertile probably had very little to do with the keeping quality of those eggs.

There's a way to test the "runniness" of eggs by measuring. And, I certainly wouldn't want to eat a 6 month-old egg from these storage methods just to decide what it tastes like!!

Give me the USDA recommendation for fresh eggs in the shell at 3 to 5 weeks in a home refrigerator (40°F), thank you.

Steve

 

[Leah-yes I know I'm crazy]

I zip the surpluss through the blender and pour into mason jar and store in freezer for winter quiche or scrambles. I also pickle a lot and heck with usda guidelines on how quickly they get used, on this one they are way over cautious imho. I have an old German cook book that says to pickle eggs in crocks or gallon jars and store in cool dark place for at least a month before eating. Yumm.

 

[digitS']

The USDA is talking about eggs from the supermarket. Who knows how long they've been there?

Leah, none of the storage methods had anything to do with pickling.

Mother Earth News refrigerated eggs for 6 months and still claimed that they were suitable for eating. Maybe they were but calling them "fresh" after 6 months doesn't fit any of my definitions. Refrigeration was the best storage method they came up with but otherwise they weren't pickling them.

Steve