Eggs often have a long shelf life, but if stored improperly, they can develop harmful bacteria that can make you sick or cause them to spoil before their best-before date.
No one wants the awful smell of rotting eggs in their kitchen, but there is often a debate about where eggs are kept fresh, as most Brits keep them on the worktop, while most Americans keep them in the fridge.
Pastry chef and Bec’s Table founder Rebecca McLeod has shared that the key to keeping eggs fresh and germ-free is to keep them at the same constant temperature, but preferably in the fridge.
He said: “If they were in the fridge at the store, keep them in the fridge at home. If they were on the store shelf, leave them at home (unless your kitchen is particularly warm) and use them sooner.
“In a nutshell, it’s best to keep supermarket eggs in the fridge when you get home, just to be safe.”
Where is the best place to store eggs in the kitchen?
Eggs have to be kept at the same temperature because they can harbor bacteria, especially salmonella, and any temperature variation causes condensation to form on the shell.
The moisture on top of the shell makes it easier for bacteria to penetrate through the shell and multiply inside the egg, causing contamination.
Although you can store eggs either on the kitchen counter or in the refrigerator, eggs need to be kept cool, so it’s often best to store them in the refrigerator, especially in the summer.
Rebecca said: “I keep eggs on the counter during the winter at the cookery school where I teach. When you buy 120-150 eggs at once, there is no need to stuff them in the fridge, as they take up valuable space.
“However, I keep my eggs in the fridge in the summer to keep them fresh.”
How to store eggs in the refrigerator
Remember to store eggs on the shelf in the middle of the refrigerator and do not put them inside the refrigerator door, as the temperature change from opening and closing the door causes condensation.
It is also important to keep the eggs in the box you get from the supermarket as it is designed to protect the eggs from bacteria.
Do not store eggs in an egg case, as despite their popularity, the caddy cannot protect the eggs.
Rebecca said: “The egg packs are also designed to minimize the loss of water from the eggs and prevent cross-contamination of unwanted flavors from other foods in your fridge. No wonder the industry has relied on this classic cardboard design for a long time!”
How to tell if an egg is fresh
If kept in a properly cool fridge, eggs will stay fresh for up to six weeks longer, but if you’re worried they might have gone bad, try the glass test.
All you have to do is put an egg in a half-filled glass of water. If the egg floats, throw it away as rotten, but if it sinks to the bottom, it’s still good to eat.
Rebecca said: “Always be careful when handling eggs. If I pick up an egg with a visible crack and signs of leakage, I toss it.
If it has a fine hairline, I either do a glass test or discard it. I don’t take unnecessary risks in my kitchen. Remember the saying, “When in doubt, throw it out.”
