Why not use the fridge?

[EasterEggDrew]

Okay, no shortage of questions from newbs here, on whether eggs need refrigeration. Of course they don't, if kept unwashed at room temperature... yadda, yadda.

But here's a question I have not seen answered here: is there any down side to refrigerating your eggs?

Now, I'm not talking about the folks with large flocks, collecting enough eggs to actually put a dent in your refrigerator space. I'm talking about those with small flocks, collecting just enough eggs to feed their family, where filling up the refrigerator with dozens of dozens of eggs is not a factor.

Why would you NOT refrigerate, other than, "we get along just fine without"?

 

[eggbert420]

Eggs can last a good while without being refrigerated. I always refrigerate thou. Just because

 

[jennyf]

Me too, don't wash but I do refrigerate. Just because hey, why not if it keeps them just a wee bit fresher (and my counter is already cluttered with fermented feed crocks, sprouting greens for chickens, etc, LOL). Lots of people really enjoy looking at their beautiful eggs on the counter though!

 

[Percheron chick]

The same reason some people put bread in the fridge and others don't.

 

[snow5164]

I find I sell way more if they're in my " egg fridge " then on the shelf ... people will do what they've seen done.

Negative to refrigeration, once you refrigerate you have to keep them cooled .

 

[EasterEggDrew]

What's the shelf life on counter vs refrigerated? Two weeks vs two months?

So far, the only advantage I've seen listed for counter storage is that they look pretty. That is worth something, they do look pretty, but any other reason?

 

[FlyWheel]

I've heard a month or two, but that assumes an UNWASHED but otherwise clean egg, with the bloom intact. Think about it, an egg can stay 'fresh' even when stored under a 100+F hen from the day it's layed to the day it hatches without going bad. If the egg is clean (no poop or blood on it) then there is really no need to wash it.

 

[mountainbunny]

We live in a "tiny house"... A 12 X 30 cabin. Our refrigerator is very small so I love that I don't have to refrigerate the eggs. I don't was my eggs until right before using then, if they are soiled. I give a lot of the eggs away, trade them for other goods or as a thank you gift. I just make sure people I give them too understand why I don't refrigerate or wash them.

 

[aart]

I only refrigerate washed eggs, and only wash any that are really 'dirty', and use them myself rather than selling.
I won't put unwashed eggs in my fridge, clean appearing or not.

If I wash I thoroughly wash by 'spin-scrubbing' with hands entire surface of egg under 'warmer than the egg' running water.
Air and/or towel dry completely before refrigeration.
'Kinda cleaning' by scraping or dry scrubbing is illusory and could be dangerous biologically.

I learned working a biological clean room that 'water is life',
keep things dry and any present bacteria is usually pretty benign if it doesn't have water to proliferate.

The thing I don't like about refrigerating them is when they are pulled out of fridge they can then gather condensation,
that condensate moisture on an unwashed egg could spur any bacteria that is present on egg to begin to grow.
Thus I feel that it is 'safer' to leave them un-refrigerated.
What my customers do with them after they leave my place is out of my hands, they know they are unwashed and un-refrigerated.

My eggs are used or sold within 2 weeks anyway so longevity of 'freshness' is not an issue IMO.
If I was handling more eggs and/or holding them longer, I might rethink all that.

Babblerantover.

 

[GC-Raptor]

This time of year in Connecticut some of the eggs are at refrigerator temperature when I collect them. I would not want to store them at room temperature for days.
I wash daily or two in the evening, air dry overnight and refrigerate year round. Friends and neighbors want them washed. For myself if the egg is clean I would not wash, but I would still refrigerate and use as soon as I take it out. GC