In most European countries, Salmonella is kept under control with preventative measures like vaccination. Farms are usually not allowed to wash eggs, so the cuticles remain intact, precluding refrigeration.
In Europe, farms vaccinate chickens against salmonella. That means the cuticle is still intact when eggs are sold. Refrigerating eggs with the cuticle intact could actually cause mildew to grow. Which could cause… you guessed it salmonella contamination.
In the US, eggs that aren't refrigerated could cause salmonella poisoning—meanwhile, Europe considers it a health risk if eggs are refrigerated. This cultural difference stems from the way eggs are processed before they reach stores.
However, farm-fresh eggs and those in European countries and most of the rest of the world, can be safely kept at room temperature for up to two weeks, says Chau.
Most people will still put them in the fridge at home, but because in Germany and most of Europe eggs are not washed and sterilized, unlike in the US and Canada, whereby the protective layer on the outside can be damaged, eggs don't HAVE to be refrigerated so the store sells them on the shelf.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand's Response
The statement continues to say that refrigerating whole eggs is not required because: The Salmonella bacteria which can contaminate an egg while it's inside the bird isn't present in Australian eggs.
Avoiding temperature fluctuation is critical to egg safety. A cold egg left out at room temperature can sweat, facilitating the growth of bacteria that could contaminate the egg.
British authorities actually discourage refrigerating eggs on the theory that chilling and then warming could create condensation, which would allow salmonella to penetrate the shell.
While most Americans store eggs in the fridge, many Europeans do not. This is because authorities in most European countries say refrigerating eggs is unnecessary.
Italian eggs are gently wiped clean from debris before they're packaged and ready for sale, but never washed. Because they have this protective outer layer they don't need to be refrigerated and can stay at room temperature for a week or two without any deleterious effect.
In Australia, people tend to keep their supermarket-purchased eggs in the fridge. Some, however, do keep them elsewhere. It's important that once eggs have been refrigerated they must remain in the fridge, because eggs with condensation can draw bacteria into the shell.
Upon researching, it seems refrigerating eggs is an American initiative because of a salmonella fear in US eggs. In Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, there is very little chance of salmonella being present in eggs (in fact, European chickens are vaccinated against it).
A general rule, unwashed eggs will last around two weeks unrefrigerated and about three months or more in your refrigerator. If you're experiencing an egg boom, it's smart to refrigerate any unwashed fresh eggs you aren't planning to eat immediately.
And are they safe to eat? We Americans, along with the Japanese, Australians and Scandinavians, tend to be squeamish about our chicken eggs, so we bathe them and then have to refrigerate them. But we're oddballs. Most other countries don't mind letting unwashed eggs sit next to bread or onions.
The Egg Safety Center has many readers who often ask a similar question: why is it safe to eat room temperature eggs in some parts of the world, but not in the USA? The answer has to do with bacteria: Salmonella. In the United States, it's more than a food safety recommendation that eggs be refrigerated – it's the law.
There are a few other countries that also sterilize and refrigerate eggs before they're sold. If you live in Australia, Japan, Denmark and Sweden, your eggs are just like those in North America – so make sure you're keeping them refrigerated.
In supermarkets across the United States, Australia, and Japan, eggs can be found in the refrigerated section alongside other cold items such as milk and cheese. However, in most other countries of the world, eggs can be found stored at room temperature alongside nonperishable food items.
You may not have realized that Europeans actually buy and store their milk outside of the fridge. The reason is a simple one: Europeans rely on a completely different pasteurization method. Canadian and American milk manufacturers utilize high-temperature, short-time pasteurization.
In the UK, Grade A hen eggs may not be washed because the process is thought to "aid the transfer of harmful bacteria like salmonella from the outside to the inside of the egg," according to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland.
From what I've gathered, eggs are farmed and processed differently in the UK than they are in the US. In the UK, eggs aren't washed before they hit the shelves. When eggs are washed, it makes it easier for bacteria such as salmonella to seep in, which is why cool refrigerator temperatures are necessary for US eggs.
According to eggs.org.au (best domain name ever), the cartons we see on the shelves of Australian supermarkets contain eggs that were laid up to 42 days ago. That's six weeks. All we have to go by, traditionally, is the 'use-by' date. Or the even more confusing 'best before'.
Egg washing is not required in Australia, but sale of dirty eggs is prohibited by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). Storing washed eggs below 7°C can help reduce the ability of Salmonella to grow.
They are not stored in the fridge in shops because they would amass condensation on your way home and this is what will encourage contamination through the shell.
Numerous factors are contributing to the shortage, but essentially it is a case of demand outstripping supply. According to Egg Farmers of Australia, in recent years the industry has been impacted by a range of issues including bushfires, floods, droughts, a mice plague, COVID-19 impacts and increased production costs.
The lower and consistent temperature limits moisture lost through the pores of the egg shell. This keeps the egg fresh right up to the "best before date" that's stamped on the exterior of the carton.