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==On refrigerating eggs==
<!--
{{stub}}
Americans tend to store eggs in the fridge.
Europeans are not as eager to.
What's with that?
{{comment|(side note: The below is more about what industry has settled on, not least because it's easier to explain to consumers. There are further methods of preserving eggs - some of which you may care for if you actually keep chickens.)}}
'''Salmonella background'''


The reasoning is mostly related to salmonella.


While salmonella doesn't pop up a lot, safety measures have to assume it will.
There's a few distinct import factoids:


An egg can
: contain salmonella if the hen is infected,
: contain salmonella (or other bacteria) if ''after'' being laid can and has penetrated the eggshell
: have salmonella (or other bacteria) sit on the surface, without also being inside.


==How to cook an egg==
Eggs have their own protection
<!--
: the cuticle (a layer around the actual shell) slow most bacteria a lot
Everyone has their method. It works, but most of it's copied rather than reasoned.
: the egg white itself slows bacteria for a few weeks
I wanted to know :)


When contaminated with bacteria like salmonella,
: storing eggs below 4°C (40°F) slows growth of bacteria/salmonella. More pronounced in the lower temperatures of the freezer, but that comes with more footnotes.
: cooking eggs to at least 70°C (160°F) kills any bacteria present.


An egg solidifies when exposed to over 63 degrees Celsius (145 farenheit).


-->
===Boiled===
<!--
As in, don't break it, and peel it afterwards.


Heat diffuses from outside to inside, so the white will solidify before the yolk.
At a country scale, unless you are dealing with salmonella in some way or other,
If you want the yolk to be runny, then basically you're done when that edge
you ''will'' have the occasional outbreak.


The time it will need depends on
There are a few different viable ways to control salmonella - and the measures of some barely overlap with others.
* size
: let's say all our eggs are medium, and particularly large or small would remove or add a minute.


* starting temperature
: let's say room temperature, and that from-the-fridge adds a minute (actually less)


Then:
* soft-boiled (runny yolk) takes ~3-4 minutes
* hard-boiled (solid yolk) takes ~7 minutes (though people are often happy a little earlier)


'''Supply regulations'''


In the US, Australia, Japan, and some other countries, the outside of eggs are sterilized.


People typically add eggs to already-boiling water.
This removes salmonella on the outside,
For a good part that gives times more meaning, because otherwise you have to consider ''how fast'' you heated the water.
but that washing also thins the protective cuticle (a layer on top of the actual shell).


So while this treatment makes it almost certain the egg is fine ''now'',
it spoils somewhat more easily ''after'' this treatment - the thinner cuticle means bacteria (salmonella or other) will more easily enter the egg.


Putting it in cold water is probably more energy-efficient.
Which isn't much of an issue if you refrigerate them, because that slows both bacteria entering, and their growth once they're there.


As is turning off the heat once it boils and assuming it'll stay above 63 for a while -- this makes the timing a little more complex but you can assume it takes 10 minutes longer.




Most European countries addressed the same issue by increasing sanitary requirements,
and in particular vaccinating hens against salmonella,
making salmonella outbreaks rarer to start with.


Eggs are also washed, but not thoroughly disinfected,
because if salmonella is unlikely in the hen, there won't be any in or on the egg,
and keeping the cuticle intact means the eggs keep better, also outside the fridge.


The gray-green yolk edge comes from cooking an egg very fast, and/or leaving it on longer than necessary.
(it in fact seems illegal in most (but not all) of the EU to disinfect eggs{{verify}},  
More specifically, it happens when the yolk temperature rises above 70 degrees Celcius.
presumably because the storage habits around there would make this ''riskier'' without your knowledge)
It's harmless, but people don't like the look.






'''In or out of fridge'''


See also:
US eggs inside the fridge are probably good for 1..3 weeks.
* http://newton.ex.ac.uk/teaching/CDHW/egg/


-->
US eggs outside the fridge ''might'' go bad faster.
====Peeling====
In the absolute worst case this happens within hours,
<!--
but typically they last ''much'' longer than that.


It's common to dump eggs in cold water, roughly until you can handle them.




Note that peeling new eggs is always trickier than old eggs.
EU eggs outside the fridge might be good for 1..3 weeks.


...and ''maybe'' 4..5 weeks inside the fridge, but that's not certain,
and people ''really'' don't like crossing the best-by date,
which you should assume is the 'if kept outside' date.


-->
===Poaching===
<!--


The 63-degree egg refers to an egg poached in 63-degree water for up to an hour or so.
There also seem to be a few countries (including EU countries) that do something inbetween - they do wash,
also ''recommend'' to refrigerate,
yet seemingly put in a conservative best-by date that is the 'if kept outside' date.


The motivation seems to be is to have the white and yolk have the same consistency,


From a quick poll, it seems pretty much all americans put eggs in the fridge.
A good chunk of europeans do so too, with some patterns per country.




http://www.esquire.com/food-drink/restaurants/a18290/secret-to-poaching-perfect-egg-15008435/


-->
===Unsorted===
<!--


'''More storage notes'''


http://www.seriouseats.com/2013/10/sous-vide-101-all-about-eggs.html
Moving a cold egg quickly into a warmer environment means condensation,
and condensation makes it slightly easier for bacteria to grow on eggs treated ''any'' way. Which on US eggs also means penetration.


So with the US's treatment, it's best to only take eggs out of the fridge when you will actually use them.
Not a huge deal if you don't, but it's a good habit to have.




-->
Condensation related bacteria is less pronounced in the EU treatment.
Note that if you keep them outside, then it's still ''useful'' to store them at a temperature below room temperature, but ''not'' refrigerated.
Supermarkets do this so that condensation on the trip home is much less likely.


For related reasons, the fridge door is technically not the best place unless there's also a cover, because this is a place with some of the largest air-temperature fluctuation, and thereby more condensation.


==On refrigerating eggs==
<!--
{{stub}}




Americans tend to store eggs in the fridge.


Europeans are not as eager to.
'''Bottom line'''


What's with that?
Your country's way works, don't worry about it.




(side note: The below is more about what industry has settled on because it's easier, but there are further methods of preserving eggs - some of which you may care for if you keep chickens.)
The net result is mainly just that living in a different country means you have a slightly different feel for how often you need to go to the store for eggs.




'''Salmonella background'''
A few recipes, apparently largely those with high fat content,
do unusual things to texture if colder than room temperature.


The reasoning is mostly related to salmonella.


-->


There's a few distinct factoids that are important context:
==Floating eggs==
<!--


An egg can
Put egg in cold water
: contain salmonella if the hen is infected,
: if it lies flat, it's probably good.
: contain salmonella (or other bacteria) if it can penetrate the eggshell after being laid,
: have salmonella (or other bacteria) sit on the surface, regardless.


Eggs have their own protection
: if it stands up it's probably still good to eat
: the cuticle (a layer around the actual shell) largely blocks bacteria
: if it floats, assume it's bad
: the egg white itself slows bacteria for a few weeks


When contaminated with salmonella,
: storing eggs below 4°C (40°F) slows growth of bacteria, like salmonella. More pronounced in the freezer, but with more footnotes.
: cooking eggs to at least 70°C (160°F) kills any bacteria present.


The idea behind this test is that once the egg starts decomposing it produces gas.
It's not so much that there is more gas, it's that when that gas escapes, it lowers the density (less mass, same volume).


At larger scale:
Because the density is very close to that of water, far enough down the process eggs will float.
Unless you are dealing with salmonella in some way or other, you ''will'' have the occasional outbreak.
Yet there are different viable ways to control salmonella.






'''Supply regulations'''
It's a good test for how simple it is,
but there are some variables that make it less that sure-fire.


In the US, Australia, Japan, and some other countries, the outside of eggs are sterilized.
* difference in density of the water is a thing
** there is a small difference with temperature - the test is better to do in cold water than in room temperature or hot water
** all eggs will float in salt water


This removes salmonella on the outside,
* the precise density of eggs varies a little to start with. Some will float further down the process than others.
but the washing also thins the protective cuticle (a layer on top of the actual shell).


So while it treatment makes it almost certain the egg is fine ''now'',
it more easily spoils after this treatment - the thinner cuticle means bacteria (salmonella or not) will more easily enter the egg.


Which isn't much of an issue if you refrigerate them, because that slows both the grows of bacteria ''and'' slows them entering.






Most European countries increased sanitary requirements, and vaccinate hens against salmonella,
-->
making salmonella outbreaks rarer to start with.


Eggs are washed, but but not disinfected,
==How to cook an egg==
because if salmonella is unlikely in the hen there won't be any in or on the egg,
<!--
and keeping the cuticle intact means the eggs keep better, also outside the fridge.
Everyone has their method. It works, but most of it's copied rather than reasoned.
I wanted to know :)


(it in fact seems illegal in most (but not all) of the EU to disinfect eggs{{verify}},
roughly because the usual storage habits would make this riskier without your knowledge)


An egg solidifies when exposed to over 63 degrees Celsius (145 farenheit).


-->
===Boiled===
<!--
As in, don't break it, and peel it afterwards.


'''In or out of fridge'''
Heat diffuses from outside to inside, so the white will solidify before the yolk.
If you want the yolk to be runny, then basically you're done when that edge


US eggs outside the fridge ''might'' go bad faster.
The time it will need depends on
In unlucky cases this might happen in hours, but typically they last ''much'' longer than that.
* size
: let's say all our eggs are medium, and particularly large or small would remove or add a minute.


US eggs inside the fridge are probably good for 1..3 weeks.
* starting temperature
: let's say room temperature, and that from-the-fridge adds a minute (actually less)


Then:
* soft-boiled (runny yolk) takes ~3-4 minutes
* hard-boiled (solid yolk) takes ~7 minutes (though people are often happy a little earlier)




EU eggs outside the fridge might be good for 1..3 weeks.


...and ''maybe'' 4..5 weeks inside the fridge, but that's not certain,
People typically add eggs to already-boiling water.
and people ''really'' don't like crossing the best-by date.
For a good part that gives times more meaning, because otherwise you have to consider ''how fast'' you heated the water.
Which is probably the 'if kept outside' date.




There also seem to be a few countries (including EU countries) that do something inbetween - they do wash,
Putting it in cold water is probably more energy-efficient.
also ''recommend'' to refrigerate,
but put in a conservative best-by date that is the 'if kept outside' date.


As is turning off the heat once it boils and assuming it'll stay above 63 for a while -- this makes the timing a little more complex but you can assume it takes 10 minutes longer.




From a quick poll, it seems pretty much all americans put eggs in the fridge, but even a good chunk of europeans do.




The gray-green yolk edge comes from cooking an egg very fast, and/or leaving it on longer than necessary.
More specifically, it happens when the yolk temperature rises above 70 degrees Celcius.
It's harmless, but people don't like the look.




'''More storage notes'''


Moving a cold egg quickly into a warmer environment means condensation,
and condensation makes it slightly easier for bacteria to grow on eggs treated ''any'' way, and to penetrate US eggs. 


So with the US's treatment, it's best to only take eggs out of the fridge when you will actually use them.
See also:
Not a huge deal if you don't, but a good habit.
* http://newton.ex.ac.uk/teaching/CDHW/egg/


-->
====Peeling====
<!--


Condensation related bacteria is less pronounced in the EU treatment, but it's still ''useful'' for shelf life to store them in a regulated temperature somewhere below room temperature, but ''not'' refrigerated so that condensation on the way home is much less likely.
It's common to dump eggs in cold water, roughly until you can handle them.




For related reasons, the fridge door is not the ideal place unless there's also a cover, because this is a place with more temperature fluctuation in the air, and thereby more condensation.
Note that peeling new eggs is always trickier than old eggs.




-->
===Poached===
<!--


Paching and egg means cooking it outside the shell (poaching = cooking via hot liquid), rather than e.g. boiling it.


'''Bottom line'''


Your country's way works, don't worry about it.
You probably want that water to be still,  
or you will get a suspension of lots of small parts of egg in water.




The net result is mainly just that living in a different country means you have a slightly different feel for how often you need to go to the store for eggs.
There are various ways of doing this.


Dump into recently boilded water - and enough of it so that the heat capacity means
it won't drop below 63 before it's done


A few recipes, apparently largely those with high fat content,
Bain marie
do unusual things to texture if colder than room temperature.




-->


==Floating eggs==
Note that dumping it into water that is initially but which gets no further heat
<!--
will quickly stop doing anything, as the temperature drops below


Put egg in cold water
: if it lies flat, it's probably good.


: if it stands up it's probably still good to eat
: if it floats, assume it's bad


The 63-degree egg refers to an egg poached in 63-degree water for up to an hour or so.


The idea behind this test is that once the egg starts decomposing it produces gas.
The motivation seems to be is to have the white and yolk have the same consistency,
It's not so much that there is more gas, it's that when that gas escapes, it lowers the density (less mass, same volume).


Because the density is very close to that of water, far enough down the process eggs will float.






It's a good test for how simple it is,
http://www.esquire.com/food-drink/restaurants/a18290/secret-to-poaching-perfect-egg-15008435/
but there are some variables that make it less that sure-fire.


* difference in density of the water is a thing
-->
** there is a small difference with temperature - the test is better to do in cold water than in room temperature or hot water
** all eggs will float in salt water


* the precise density of eggs varies a little to start with. Some will float further down the process than others.
===Unsorted===
<!--




http://www.seriouseats.com/2013/10/sous-vide-101-all-about-eggs.html






-->
-->
[[Category:Cooking]]
[[Category:Cooking]]

Latest revision as of 16:29, 20 April 2024


On refrigerating eggs

Floating eggs

How to cook an egg

Boiled

Peeling

Poached

Unsorted

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