I’ve just bought a new fridge and it comes with a section to hold eggs. I’ve never stored them in the fridge since salmonella isn’t really a problem here because our chickens are vaccinated. Does anybody in the UK actually refrigerate their eggs?
As an aside, I tend to decide what goes into the fridge based on where it was in the supermarket. If they don’t refrigerate it, neither do I. So for eggs, I don’t.
Secondary question - what am I gonna use the egg holder in the fridge for now, other than maybe briefly cooling my balls?
It’s not just vaccination - European eggs aren’t pressure washed like American ones to remove the protective coating.
I’ve honestly never understood why America does that to their eggs.
Salmonella. It’s carried in chicken dung, sometimes eggs get a bit of feces on them, so the US washes them to attempt to reduce exposure.
Problem is that without the protective coating, the eggs are more permeable and susceptible to bacterial infection, hence the refrigeration.
So it’s a question of whether it’s better to reduce bacteria exposure or susceptibility. I am sure there’s research out there with numbers indicating one works better than the other, but it’s been such a long-standing thing at this point that I don’t think Americans would trust unrefrigerated eggs.
The research shows both methods are equally effective at controlling salmonella, afaik
Both work for protecting humans. However, I believe vaccination is better overall. It also improves the quality of life of the chickens. Unfortunately, it’s also (very slightly) more expensive, so America went the cheap route. The EU mandated to reduce animal cruelty, by vaccination.
In Australia our eggs are kept in the refrigerated section in the supermarket (usually near the cheese and butter, because everyone knows eggs are dairy), and we’ve always put them in the fridge at home, so I guess they wash the protective coating off here too.
Another reason I’m glad I’m not american or living there today
I think refrigerating eggs is inconsequential compared to the other thing that happened.
Same in Italy. But i pur them in the fridge because they last a lot longer
We don’t have to in Germany, but they last longer and sometimes we don’t eat a lot of eggs. Putting them in the fridge ensures that we can safely eat them even quite some time after the expiration date (then we cook them fully though).
US have to store eggs in the fridge because they mandatory wash them before selling, brushing away the natural protection layer that enhance durability.
in the US the eggs are washed so that they won’t last as long if not refrigerated. https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2014/09/11/336330502/why-the-u-s-chills-its-eggs-and-most-of-the-world-doesnt
Yeah I know, that’s why I was focusing on UK egg-fanciers.
yeah but your talking an appliance which is not necessarily just produced for the UK.
It’s what’s going in the appliance I’m asking about, not the appliance itself.
When I buy supermarket eggs, I refrigerate them because they are washed (in the US). When I get unwashed eggs (from a farm or a friend), I still refrigerate them and just wash them prior to use. I don’t have to refrigerate them since they have the cuticle intact, but refrigerating them still makes them stay fresher longer, so if I have the space for them, why would I not?
That said, the eggs already come in a carton, so I’m not going to transfer them into a separate container in my fridge for no reason.
Refrigerating eggs also roughly doubles their shelf life.
Is salmonella vaccination required in the UK now? It’s been a few years but last I knew it was voluntary and roughly 3/4 of egg farmers did do it.
Egg farmers? Chicken ranchers? Poultry producer? Idk what they’re called.
The correct term is Fowl Fiddler
I accept this new term and will utilize it in everyday conversation. Thank you.
