Eggs: Difference between revisions
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
| Line 124: | Line 124: | ||
(side note: The below is more about what industry has settled on because it's easier, | (side note: The below is more about what industry has settled on because it's easier, so is also easier to follow by consumers. There are further methods of preserving eggs - some of which you may care for if you actually keep chickens.) | ||
'''Salmonella background''' | '''Salmonella background''' | ||
The reasoning is mostly related to salmonella. | The reasoning is mostly related to salmonella. | ||
Which safety measures have to assume is around (though it often isn't). | |||
There's a few distinct factoids that are important context: | There's a few distinct factoids that are important context: | ||
| Line 136: | Line 136: | ||
An egg can | An egg can | ||
: contain salmonella if the hen is infected, | : contain salmonella if the hen is infected, | ||
: contain salmonella (or other bacteria) if | : contain salmonella (or other bacteria) if ''after'' being laid can and has penetrated the eggshell | ||
: have salmonella (or other bacteria) sit on the surface, | : have salmonella (or other bacteria) sit on the surface, without also being inside. | ||
Eggs have their own protection | Eggs have their own protection | ||
: the cuticle (a layer around the actual shell) | : the cuticle (a layer around the actual shell) slow most bacteria a lot | ||
: the egg white itself slows bacteria for a few weeks | : the egg white itself slows bacteria for a few weeks | ||
When contaminated with salmonella, | 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. | : storing eggs below 4°C (40°F) slows growth of bacteria, like 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. | : cooking eggs to at least 70°C (160°F) kills any bacteria present. | ||
At | |||
At a country scale, unless you are dealing with salmonella in some way or other, | |||
you ''will'' have the occasional outbreak. | |||
There are a few different viable ways to control salmonella - and the measures of some barely overlap with others. | |||
| Line 162: | Line 164: | ||
So while this treatment makes it almost certain the egg is fine ''now'', | So while this treatment makes it almost certain the egg is fine ''now'', | ||
it more easily | it spoils somewhat more easily ''after'' this treatment - the thinner cuticle means bacteria (salmonella or other) will more easily enter the egg. | ||
Which isn't much of an issue if you refrigerate them, because that slows both bacteria entering, and their | Which isn't much of an issue if you refrigerate them, because that slows both bacteria entering, and their growth once they're there. | ||
Most European countries addressed the same issue by increasing sanitary requirements, | 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. | and in particular vaccinating hens against salmonella, | ||
making salmonella outbreaks rarer to start with. | |||
Eggs are washed, but not thoroughly disinfected, | 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, | 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. | and keeping the cuticle intact means the eggs keep better, also outside the fridge. | ||
(it in fact seems illegal in most (but not all) of the EU to disinfect eggs{{verify}}, | (it in fact seems illegal in most (but not all) of the EU to disinfect eggs{{verify}}, | ||
presumably because the storage habits around there would make this ''riskier'' without your knowledge) | |||
| Line 185: | Line 188: | ||
US eggs outside the fridge ''might'' go bad faster. | US eggs outside the fridge ''might'' go bad faster. | ||
In the worst case this happens within hours, | In the absolute worst case this happens within hours, | ||
but typically they last ''much'' longer than that. | but typically they last ''much'' longer than that. | ||
| Line 193: | Line 196: | ||
...and ''maybe'' 4..5 weeks inside the fridge, but that's not certain, | ...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. | and people ''really'' don't like crossing the best-by date, | ||
which you should assume is the 'if kept outside' date. | |||
| Line 201: | Line 205: | ||
From a quick poll, it seems pretty much all americans put eggs in the fridge | From a quick poll, it seems pretty much all americans put eggs in the fridge. | ||
with some patterns per country. | A good chunk of europeans do so too, with some patterns per country. | ||
Revision as of 00:42, 4 February 2024