Topic of the Week - Cleaning and Storing Eggs

[My Bagurks]

I collect daily. I clean and refrigerate eggs with dirt or poop on them when collected. Every other egg is stored in my pantry. Stays in the 60s in there all year round. And then, when we run out in the fridge or our one customer calls, we do a mass washing and do them all. Whatever we have saved up, minus a dozen for us, we sell. We cook the ones from the fridge and wash whatever we need for the meal at hand from the pantry.

 

[DiscoDiva22]

We gently remove any debris from the eggs and waterglass up to 10 dozen eggs in a pickling lime and water mixture. This hardens the shell and we have had eggs from last year that I am just getting to. Causes the white to be a little runny, but good flavor!

I don't know if you can help with my question, but I have ducks and they often have dirt or mud and some shavings on them. I have gently wiped off the dirt that I could and have waterglassed them. If they are not totally clean, have I wasted my time? Also, I measured my lime using an 8 oz cup. Should I have weighed it instead? Thank you.

 

[TJAnonymous]

I get around 2 dozen eggs per day. Mine are frequently dirty because I have egg eaters in my flock. They also occasionally get poop on them... So I am religious about washing eggs UNLESS I am going to waterglass them. I waterglass about 5 dozen eggs around April 1st and July 1st. Waterglassed eggs are used over the winter when egg production drops.

I wash my eggs in warm water. If they are stained, I will scrub them with some baking soda and then rinse them well in running water.

Before storing eggs in the fridge, I typically candle them to make sure they are not cracked or bad. I always mark a date in the corner of the carton so I can keep track of when they were collected. I sell eggs so I want to ensure they aren't too old.

 

[aart]

Mine are frequently dirty because I have egg eaters in my flock. They also occasionally get poop on them... So I am religious about washing eggs UNLESS I am going to waterglass them.

Guessing that you don't waterglass eggs that have poop and broken egg residue on them?

 

[rjmyooper]

Eggs should be washed in 'water warmer than the egg'.
Simple physics, using colder water will cause the egg contents to contract, causing any 'germs' on exterior surface of egg shell to be pulled into the interior of egg thru the shell pores. Using warmer water will do the opposite, makes perfect sense to me.

Thank you for the info. It's very well written.
If you are supposed to use warmer water to wash eggs, then it stands to reason that unwashed eggs should not be refrigerated because the shrinkage will pull the bacteria in. Correct?

 

[aart]

If you are supposed to use warmer water to wash eggs, then it stands to reason that unwashed eggs should not be refrigerated because the shrinkage will pull the bacteria in. Correct?

Ehhh.....not sure on that one, the bloom may protect bacterial intrusion.

 

[TJAnonymous]

Guessing that you don't waterglass eggs that have poop and broken egg residue on them?

Not sure if you are being sarcastic, cheeky, or a genuine question... Tone doesn't come across in a post...

You can't waterglass eggs that have been washed because the bloom needs to be intact. Naturally you want to limit bacteria too so you also need clean eggs free of debris, poop, dirt, etc...

My eggs are usually clean IF I can get to them before the egg eaters. I do get hens who poop in the nesting box but thankfully not super often.

 

[Jeri B]

I don't know if you can help with my question, but I have ducks and they often have dirt or mud and some shavings on them. I have gently wiped off the dirt that I could and have waterglassed them. If they are not totally clean, have I wasted my time? Also, I measured my lime using an 8 oz cup. Should I have weighed it instead? Thank you.

I have read that eggs to be waterglassed should be clean and “not washed”.

 

[Pampered chicken girl]

Thank you for the info. It's very well written.
If you are supposed to use warmer water to wash eggs, then it stands to reason that unwashed eggs should not be refrigerated because the shrinkage will pull the bacteria in. Correct?

Yes if you wash it's safe to refrigerate but if you don't wash then don't refrigerate

 

[rjmyooper]

Yes if you wash it's safe to refrigerate but if you don't wash then don't refrigerate

The Woman I buy eggs from refrigerates unwashed eggs.