[Sierra]

On Sunday, one of my co-staff members dropped off about 4 dozen eggs he had picked up for me at his friend's farm. We purchase eggs from them as available.

I put them in my office fully intending to take them to the fridge as soon as I had a chance. But I kept forgetting. Work was busy and then Sunday was ds' birthday and the afternoon party sort of took all my attention. Monday I came into my office for a while, but it is my usual day off, so when I got done, I rushed off without thinking. Tuesday I didn't even remember they were here, and Wednesday I got the flu and "called in sick." Finally, today (Thursday), I came in and put them in the fridge. But it was a late start day for me so it was the afternoon before they got put in.

My office generally stays on the cooler end of room temp. Do you think there is any chance these are still okay to eat, or should I toss them

?

 

[Mirzam]

I never, ever refrigerate eggs. So I certainly wouldn't toss them. But's that me.

 

[snowbunny]

I don't refrigerate my eggs at all.

 

[ledzepplon]

My understanding is that if they haven't been refrigerated yet, they don't have to be stored in the fridge. (My mom and my brother's girlfriend have chickens and have told me this.)

 

[Merf]

I never refrigerate farm fresh eggs either. They can last for months on the counter. I do float test all mine before I use them though, just in case.

 

[tankgirl73]

Can someone clarify the 'rules' about eggs for me? We're going to have a source for farm-fresh eggs later this summer and I was thinking about this room-temperature storage thing (which I had never heard about before MDC! I was always obsessive about keeping eggs nice and chilly).

A pp mentioned that "as long as they haven't been refrigerated" then it's okay. Is that accurate? Once they're refrigerated, do they have to stay that way?

 

[Merf]

I'd like to hear what others say about this as well. I had heard they could be left out as long as they haven't been washed. Dr. Mercola seems to indicate ANY farm egg is ok to leave out.

 

[Norasmomma]

IDK about the "rules" of egg storage, but I recently spent a couple weeks in Mexico and they don't refrigerate eggs, they keep them on the shelf for up to a month, and they refrigerate their bread. I thought it was a little strange, but I ate the eggs and they were fine. It changed some of my views on what is safe and what is not.

 

[Sierra]

I suppose there is no way for certain to know if they have or have not been washed unless I ask. But I really don't want to give anyone any hints of what I have done, for fear if I do have to throw them away. Wah!

I know the float test works for freshness (having to do with the amount of air in the egg, right?), but would it really work for foodborn illnesses?

If I didn't have a stomach bug right now, I could test one of the eggs and see if it makes my tummy upset before giving any to my family. But my tummy already is upset. Hmmm...

Now that they are in the fridge, I suppose I better keep them cold. And then maybe once my tummy feels better, I'll try one out (??).

 

[Merf]

I guess I just assume that if the chicken is healthy, the egg will be too as long as it doesn't float and has no leaks. So far, I've never had a problem.

 

[MaxiMom]

I believe there is a natural coating on the eggs that keeps them fresh unrefrigerated. Commercial eggs have that coating washed off, hence the need for refrigeration. See quote about natural coating here.

We have chickens and have found 2 dozen eggs under our shed, at once! - must have been there for a while and they were all fine, no problem.

 

[DashsMama]

Farm fresh eggs will last for a month or more as long as they have never been refrigerated (learned this from my world-traveling, sailor, neighbors). Once eggs have been refrigerated they must continue to be refrigerated or they will spoil. Luckily, spoiled eggs are easily identified because they stink!!! Crack one open and give it a smell. If there is no strong smell, it should be fine. If you are worried about Salmonella, just make sure the eggs are well cooked. Salmonella is killed by heat.

 

[Unconventional1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Norasmomma IDK about the "rules" of egg storage, but I recently spent a couple weeks in Mexico and they don't refrigerate eggs, they keep them on the shelf for up to a month, and they refrigerate their bread. I thought it was a little strange, but I ate the eggs and they were fine. It changed some of my views on what is safe and what is not.

I assume that they refrigerate bread to keep it from molding, and eggs don't need refrigeration if they haven't been refrigerated previously.

 

[karne]

I have been using some farm eggs, unwashed, that I inadvertantly left out for a week (kind of embarassed to admidt I didn't see them in my kitchen). They seem fine, we're all fine, so I don't see a problem. I too refidge washed eggs.

 

[straighthaircurly]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Norasmomma IDK about the "rules" of egg storage, but I recently spent a couple weeks in Mexico and they don't refrigerate eggs, they keep them on the shelf for up to a month, and they refrigerate their bread. I thought it was a little strange, but I ate the eggs and they were fine. It changed some of my views on what is safe and what is not.

Same in Costa Rica. They sit out in huge stacks at the store and then noone refrigerates them when they take them home. I have never had a problem with them (and it is always HOT there).

 

[Norasmomma]

Yeah I understood the bread thing, we keep our bread in the fridge at home, it was just opposite of what is done here in the US. My friend was really wierded out by the egg thing, but I just rolled with it, the Mexicans all seemed fine with the eggs being on the shelf and like the PP's it is really HOT in Baja(like Costa Rica). We ate pretty much everything there and nothing made us sick, like I said it really changed some of my concerns about food storage.

 

[kewb]

Why can't an egg be stored on the counter if it has been previously refrigerated?

 

[Mirzam]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kewb Why can't an egg be stored on the counter if it has been previously refrigerated?

IMO it can be, but they just won't last as long as unwashed, never refrigerated eggs. I have eaten previously refrigerated eggs that have been left out and have never gotten sick. I have long since left behind the fear of bacteria contaminating my food.

 

[4lilfarmers]

interesting... my dh is paranoid about leaving our eggs out. it was nice to share all of these posts with him... now hopefully he won't nag me about getting the eggs in the fridge quick!

 

[funkygranolamama]

I wonder if the reason you aren't supposed to leave them out after refrigeration has to do with the lipids in the egg. A guy I work with says once you refrigerate eggs the good fat in the yolk solidifies and isn't efficently used by the body. Maybe if you take out the refrigerated eggs the fats are in a way broken down? This is only a guess...