“Why does America chill its eggs and other countries don’t? Do you refrigerate your eggs? Do you wash your eggs?
Since we’ve started selling eggs we get asked a lot about…..Yes! eggs! And the above three questions are among the top ones. So here goes…
When you go in search of eggs in foreign countries you might encounter a strange scene; eggs on a shelf amongst the non-perishable items such as bread or canned goods. Nowhere near a refrigerator!
So unlike the US where eggs are found in the refrigerated dairy aisle with butter, cheeses, and milk.
The difference is linked to the way that eggs are farmed and processed in the US compared with the UK or other European countries. In the US, the eggs that are destined for the supermarket shelf are washed in soapy, 90-degree water and sprayed with a chemical sanitizer before they are sold to the public.
In foreign countries grade A eggs are not washed because the process is believed to damage the outer layer of the eggshell known as the bloom or cuticle. Without that chemical barrier, it becomes easier for bacteria to penetrate the inside of an egg.
The Nolt Homestead’s priority in egg production is to produce clean eggs at the point of collection, rather than trying to clean them afterward.
So, no, we do not wash our eggs. Our chickens enjoy a fresh spot of clean grass every day. They do not wander around in their own poop. they are provided clean, hay-lined nests to lay their eggs in, thus omitting the need to wash the eggs. If there is some “dirt” on an egg we dry brush or spot wash to clean it off.
The Nolt Homestead egg comes to you in its” original, protective packaging!”
Here is a guide to how long eggs stay fresh depending on how they have been cared for.
Unwashed in the fridge— 6 months
Unwashed at room temperature— 1 month
Washed at room temperature— 2 weeks
Blessings, Louise
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Have you ever ended up with “henpecked” hard-boiled eggs after peeling them? Try this method!