Why You're Storing Eggs Wrong in the Fridge: Scientists Find
Are you sure the door tray is the best place for eggs? The Journal of Food Science published a study: due to temperature changes when opening the refrigerator, eggs spoil 30% faster.
Chef Gordon Ramsay shouted this at the contestants on the cooking show MasterChef : “You’re killing the freshness like amateurs!”
The rule is simple: keep eggs in the main chamber at a constant temperature. Michelin-starred chef Heston Blumenthal told The Guardian that they should be wrapped in parchment: “The shell breathes, and bacteria don’t get through.”
But in South Korea, for example, eggs are traditionally stored at room temperature, treated with rice oil to protect against microbes. Scientists from Seoul University have confirmed that this method preserves freshness for up to 3 weeks.
But the main secret was revealed by farmer Mark Rogers in the documentary Eggs 101 : “Washing eggs before storing is a mistake.
The natural film protects against salmonella." But in the EU, eggs are washed at the factory, which requires mandatory refrigeration. This creates confusion: tourists who buy eggs in Europe risk poisoning by storing them outside the refrigerator.
Check your fridge. Your breakfasts may have long since become dangerous. And don't forget: you can extend the shelf life of eggs by storing them pointy end down - this way the yolk stays in the center, slowing down oxidation.
Biochemist Charlotte Lindsay writes about this in her book The Science of Cooking .
