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.
In the UK we do not refrigerate eggs, because of food safety. In the US, they do refrigerate eggs, for food safety.
Store whole eggs in a cool dry place, ideally in the fridge, until you use them. Storing eggs at a constant cool temperature will help to keep them safe. Do not use eggs after their 'best before' date. Make sure you rotate stock and use the oldest eggs first.
Eggs there are not required to go through extensive washing, which leaves the protective coating on the egg. Because this coating remains on the eggs, authorities feel it is safe for them to be sold at room temperature. In some European countries, vaccines are used to prevent Salmonella in laying hens.
Eggs in the US need to be refrigerated to slow the growth of any potential salmonella bacteria. Eggs in some other countries are less likely to have salmonella and don't need refrigeration. You can always refrigerate eggs to extend their shelf life, but make sure to store them correctly.
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.
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.
Eggs should be stored in the fridge. 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.
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 Europe and other parts of the world, another technique called ultra-heat-treated pasteurization, or UHT, is used. Milk is exposed to higher temperatures of 284°F for three seconds, decimating virtually all the bacteria and making it shelf-stable for about six months if left unopened.
Well, there's a simple explanation for that. It's apparently because store temperatures are kept below 20ºC, so refrigeration is unnecessary. 'This also prevents significant temperature fluctuations. For example, eggs being moved from a fridge to a hot car after purchase,' a spokesperson told us.
Do Fresh Eggs Need to Be Refrigerated? Freshly laid eggs need to be refrigerated immediately. Fresh eggs purchased from a farmers market need to be refrigerated as soon as you get home. Per USDA guidelines, eggs should be stored at 40 degrees F or below to help minimize the risk of Salmonella.
Question: Do eggs need to be refrigerated? Where should I keep my eggs? In Europe it's a health risk to store eggs in the fridge. In Australia, it's a health risk to store them out of the fridge.
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.
For example, ungraded eggs can be unclean, cracked, washed improperly, stored unrefrigerated, or sold in packaging that has not been disinfected. As such, there is a higher chance for them to be contaminated by harmful bacteria such as Salmonella.
Americans wash their eggs
According to Huff Post, what really separates American eggs from eggs in the U.K. is the fact that we wash our eggs in the U.S. before they go to market. NPR goes on to explain that America, along with a handful of other countries, are the only ones to do so.
Since it's apparently almost impossible in China to buy refrigerated eggs, Beijingers should be even more vigilant with proper handling and cooking; here are the main safety tips from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (Tips to Reduce Your Risk of Salmonella from Eggs):
At the time of purchase the eggs were usually refrigerated in Korea, most likely because the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety regulates the distribution of eggs and requires them to be at 0–15 °C [31].
In most European countries, eggs are kept at a constant “room temperature” from production to the supermarket shelf, to avoid any thermal shock. This is to prevent any condensation from forming, which would allow bacteria to pass between the outer shell and the inside of the egg.
Sudden changes in temperature, especially cold to heat, are not good for the conservation of the egg. It is the reason why eggs are not refrigerated during distribution or at the point of purchase. We must also avoid them at home, taking the refrigerator only eggs you need.
“In Latin America and many other countries, there is no washing step because the refrigeration is expensive. In many countries the eggs are cleaned while dry, and transported at room temperature. If the eggs stay dry, they keep their natural protection against pathogens,” Cardoza said.
Eggs have small pores which harmful bacteria can enter. Even shells that appear clean can carry germs. Even so, eggs do not need to be washed. If not washed, they can keep without spoiling for weeks without refrigeration.
Unsalted Butter
If it creeps above 70 degrees Fahrenheit in your kitchen, all butter should go into the fridge to avoid going bad — even into the freezer if you want to store it for a few months.
Unwashed eggs can be gathered and stored on your kitchen counter for 2-4 weeks at room temperature, where they will remain as edible, if not as fresh, as when they were laid.