How long can eggs stay fresh? How to best preserve eggs?

Eggs are probably one of the most commonly consumed foods in the world thanks to their high nutritional content, ease of processing, and exceptionally easy preservation. But have you ever wondered how long an egg can stay fresh?

Eggs should be preserved for how long?

Egg freshness can be maintained for a period of 2 hours to a maximum of 1 year, depending on where you buy it and how you store it.

Eggs sourced from a grocery store or farmer's market can guarantee freshness and nutritional content for weeks if stored in the refrigerator, often significantly longer than the shelf life printed on the shell or cans. Frozen eggs can last a lot longer. The important thing here is that you must have proper storage methods to use to keep eggs fresh and most nutritious.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) egg storage guidelines can be found as follows:

Egg products Room temperature Store in refrigerator Freezing Fresh whole eggs Under 2 hours 3-5 weeks Not recommended Raw egg white Under 2 hours 2-4 days 1 year Raw egg yolk Less than 2 hours 2- 4 days 1 year Boiled eggs Less than 2 hours 1 week Not recommended

Should fresh eggs stored in the refrigerator?

A newly laid egg has a natural moist coating called 'bloom', which helps seal and protect the egg from bacterial invasion. If this egg is washed, the bloom membrane disappears and the eggshell shell becomes porous, more vulnerable.

Salmonella bacteria are usually found on the shell of fresh eggs. This type of bacteria can cause nausea, stomach pain, diarrhea and worse, fever. It is also a symptom that people often eat raw eggs, undercooked eggs or products made from contaminated eggs.

In the 1970s, due to concerns about hygiene, the US Department of Agriculture required large-scale egg producers and processors to immediately wash, sanitize and cool eggs. Similarly are Canada, Japan, and some Nordic countries.

However, in most European Union countries, manufacturers are not allowed to wash or refrigerate eggs, even in shops. Europeans believe that eggs are inherently naturally protected from bacteria thanks to the integrity of the crust, and can be preserved naturally for days.

In addition, many countries also require poultry farmers to vaccinate poultry to avoid eggs contaminated with salmonella. For this reason, many small farmers often sell eggs as soon as they are harvested from the farm without going through the cleaning process. They believe that the natural elements of eggs help protect you from bacteria, as long as you do not remove the eggshell.

However, research by the Georgia Agricultural Research Service has shown that the eggshell bloom envelope quickly degrades, dries and sloughs off after the fruit is exposed to the outside environment. Therefore, refrigeration will still be the most optimal method, not only protecting eggs from bacteria, but also helping to maintain the quality of eggs.

The researchers looked at 5,400 eggs and found that those that were washed and refrigerated were still Grade A (very high quality) eggs after an average of 15 weeks. Fruits stored at room temperature degrade faster, from type A (highest quality) to Type B (lowest quality) for only 1 week. At the same time the weight of these eggs decreased by 15% after 15 weeks.

How to preserve fresh eggs for a long time

1. As soon as you buy an egg from a store, double check that there are no cracked or cracked fruit that can allow bacteria to get inside the egg. If yes, put the eggs in a clean container and cover tightly, refrigerate and use within 2 days.
2. Ideally put eggs in paper trays, cartons before placing in the refrigerator. Cartons or soft plastic will prevent the eggs from cracking and not affected by the smell from other foods in the refrigerator.
3. Eggs should be stored at 4 ° C or slightly lower.
4. Wash the eggs gently with warm water (32-49 degrees C). While washing, use rubber gloves. Can soak eggs for about 30 seconds with unscented detergent, rinse, then refrigerate.