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.
Most egg producers in Australia recommend that eggs are stored below 15°C. This means that if the temperature in your kitchen is warmer than this, and in Queensland it most likely will be, then you should store your eggs in the fridge.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) determined that the best way to fight Salmonella contamination is by sanitizing the eggs before they reach the consumer.
Why The U.S. Chills Its Eggs And Most Of The World Doesn't : The Salt In many countries, eggs aren't refrigerated and they're still considered safe to eat. But in the U.S., we have to chill them, because we've washed away the cuticle that protects them from bacteria.
Storing eggs at room temperature isn't advised in the United States because of Salmonella and other pathogens. When we asked Clark whether it's safe to keep store-bought eggs at room temperature in the U.S., her answer was a clear "no."
Refrigerated eggs should not be left out for more than two hours. What's the best way to store eggs? The best way to keep eggs is to store them in their original carton in the refrigerator as soon as possible after purchase. Cartons reduce water loss and protect flavours from other foods being absorbed into the eggs.
The rule of thumb? You can leave eggs on the counter about two hours at room temperature or one hour if the temperature is 90 degrees or hotter before you start to worry, per the Egg Safety Center. After two hours, you'd be safer to throw those eggs out and get a fresh dozen rather than chance it.
Without a cuticle, eggs need to be kept cold—not for the product itself, but to discourage bacterial growth in and on it. Conversely, eggs with their protective layers intact are much less likely to be infected by salmonella—at least on the inside—and because of this they don't need to be refrigerated.
If refrigerated, eggs typically stay safe well after their expiration date. Regardless of what that date actually is, the optimal storage time for raw eggs in their shells, according to the USDA, is three to five weeks.
He says the best way to preserve raw eggs is to store them in a solution of slaked lime (you can find it at a building supply store) and water, which, in his test, had a 100 percent success rate after eight months. That same Genesee Farmer article claimed this method could preserve eggs for six years or longer.
Why It's Not Safe. Unfortunately, eggs left out on the counter for too long need to be tossed. This is because eggs are susceptible to salmonella contamination due to how they're processed before they get to the grocery store. Salmonella is also the reason you shouldn't be eating raw eggs.
Japan also standardized a system of egg washing and refrigeration after a serious salmonella outbreak in the 1990s.
Most countries do not store their eggs in refrigerators. Instead, they leave them out at room temperature. This might seem like a food safety hazard, but both methods are safe.
Culture of Eating Raw Eggs
Compared to other countries, eggs in Japan are considered to be much less contaminated by salmonella, one of the causes of food poisoning, and therefore raw eggs can be eaten without worry. The most popular way to eat raw eggs is “Tamagokakegohan” (TKG).
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.
Many European countries, like the UK, vaccinate their hens to prevent the transmission of salmonella when the hens lay eggs. The vaccinations, in conjunction with the protection of the “cuticle,” are thought to protect the European eggs from bacteria, therefore they don't refrigerate their eggs.
There are lots of people who enjoy consuming eggs, but there is one country that consumes more eggs than just about any other place on Earth. Per person, Japan consumes the most eggs every year. The average person in Japan eats about 320 eggs per year.