Should you really refrigerate eggs?
Posted on: 12/Feb/2016 5:40:46 PM
Most of us can know the expiry dates of food items only by checking the printed expiry dates on food packs. But this is not possible with eggs. Many a times, we look for it on the carton. Most of us are aware that eggs have also got their own expiry dates, whereas a few though they are aware of expiry dates of eggs, they find it a quite hard to understand.
In real, it is very easy to identify if an egg is good or not. All you need is your senses to see and smell. The expiry date on egg packages may tell you a particular date. But that doesn`t mean that you should throw them away exactly on the same day. Eggs can verily be used even after the expiry date. In that case, what is the life expectancy of egg? If eggs are unrefrigerated, the shelf life is between 7 and 10 days whereas when refrigerated, the same is 30 to 45 days. However, you cannot use a two months old egg for an omelet.
Right way to refrigerate egg
First of all, know that you can store your eggs for 5 to 6 weeks if properly refrigerated. It is always better to refrigerate it inside its original carton rater than keeping it on the door just because the temperature is constant there. It is important for you to maintain constant temperature of eggs. This should be anywhere between 19 and 21 degree Celsius during winter and 21 and 23 during summer.
How does refrigeration help?
Refrigeration of eggs helps in reducing salmonella risk. Those eggs that have got intact cuticle and fresh do not have to be refrigerated if you have plans to consume within a week. However, those at the grocery stores ought to be refrigerated as their cuticles would have got washed off and it increases salmonella risk.
What if you accidentally consume eggs even after expiry date? According to experts, there is increased risk of salmonella food poisoning if you do so.
How to test if an egg is expired or not?
As stated above, the easiest way to know if an egg is still good to consume is with your nose and eyes. a simple floating test at home will do. This can tell you about the freshness of eggs without doing any harm to its shell.
How to do the floating test?
All that you need to perform this test are very simple and easily available kitchen materials. Take a transparent bowl and fill it with cold water. Place the eggs into it. If the eggs get sunk deep into the bottom and are found laying flat on their sides, they are perfect for making omelet. If they get settled in an upright position, they are a few weeks old and you can still consume them. They are excellent for hard boiling. If the eggs start to float on the surface, they are not fit for consumption. These can be used for several other purposes which are listed below in this article.
