Is it better to wash eggs before refrigerating?

Is it better to wash eggs before refrigerating? - White Eggs Beside Polaroid Film

I want to know how to store eggs in the refrigerator. Some people say to never wash them, others say it's ok to wash eggs before refrigerating. Which is correct?



Best Answer

I would personally avoid washing the eggs.

The problem is that wet eggs are bad. This goes for both Europe, where the eggs are sold unwashed, and in the US, where the eggs are pre-washed and refrigerated.

If you did wash your eggs, you need to get them thoroughly dry afterwards. Otherwise, you will do harm to the eggs.

If you're buying unwashed eggs, you could use a dry brush on them before you stored them, but I wouldn't recommend anything more than that.




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Is it better to wash eggs before refrigerating? - African American mother with son washing hands while standing at sink near green potted plant in kitchen with black refrigerator
Is it better to wash eggs before refrigerating? - Blue Egg on Brown Egg Tray
Is it better to wash eggs before refrigerating? - Blue Egg on Brown Egg Tray



Quick Answer about "Is it better to wash eggs before refrigerating?"

Recap: Best Practices to Store Fresh Backyard Chicken Eggs Don't wash the eggs until you use them, unless they're soiled. Fresh unwashed eggs do not need to be refrigerated for several weeks. Always refrigerate washed eggs. Eggs will maintain a higher quality when stored in the refrigerator – washed or not.

Why should you not wash the eggs before storing them?

Remember egg washing is not recommended because Salmonella can move into the inside of the egg through pores in the shell, increasing the risk to consumers. Try to explain this to your customer and get agreement to accept unwashed eggs.

How do you clean eggs before refrigerating?

Never immerse or soak the eggs in water. Wash the eggs under running water from the faucet or spray the eggs in washer flats or wire baskets with warm water. Let them sit and wipe dry with a dry paper towel one at a time. Place the clean eggs in another basket or flat.




More answers regarding is it better to wash eggs before refrigerating?

Answer 2

I raised chickens and handled many hundreds of eggs (my all time high was over 200 in one day.) I didn't like the idea of unwashed eggs going into the refrigerator, though they appeared quite clean.

Washing eggs does make the shells a bit more porous, so washed eggs don't stay fresh quite as long. If you do wash them, though, it's important to wash them in warm to hot water so that the contents expand slightly as they are being washed. That way, no wash water (or more importantly, bacteria in the wash water) enters the egg. Cold water would cause the contents to contract a bit allowing seepage into the egg. A quick wash/rinse with plain water is fine.

There are other ways to clean an egg, but it is far more work imo.

If you don't plan to refrigerate the eggs, you might want to just let them be, wiping off any dirt. Keeping the nesting boxes clean and good management of the coop/flock is important.

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