To wash or not to wash eggs?

[clsm]

Well I think it depends on if you plan to eat or incubate them, I wash All that are dirty, if not I don't, I always refrigerate, would NOT eat eggs left out, I date each egg in the carton in pencil. IF I'm incubating then I leave out, in carton don't wash & turn eggs at least 2 times a day till incubated, & don't use eggs for incubation past 7 days although some say they are good for up to 10 days, Refrigerated I have had up to 2 months still be good although I try to use up within A MONTH even if it requires making a bunch of egg salad or a lot of baking. My dogs also get eggs raw mixed on their kibble. Nice shiny coats.

 

[Twinklin]

My girls are about 2 months from laying still but from what I've read over the past few months since I got chickens I will not be washing them unless obviously dirty (in which case I will wash and refrigerate them). I'll store them unwashed in the firdge. We only have 4 chickens so I don't see us having eggs for more than a month plus we have relatives that want our over flow.

 

[Persimmon]

The "Bloom" or coating on the egg when it is laid makes the porous shell air tight. When it is washed off air can get in and the egg spoils sooner. Like those butter dishes that you put upside down in water. I dont wash my eggs till I am ready to use them.

 

[Nj feathers]

I never wash....just crack on a clean side lol

 

[ann21]

You can wash your eggs if you like, and if you want them to last for months, coat the eggs with food grade mineral oil , it's what your grandparents did , before we had refrigerators.

 

[Chambertin]

I read this article a few weeks ago and thought someone on this thread might find it interesting.

I keep a clean coop, collect eggs, soft dry cloth wipe off if needed and keep on counter. If they manage to sit there more than a couple of weeks, they go into the fridge. I use an 18 holder egg tray so I can keep the eggs in order of collection so I am always using the oldest first. ~Kelly

http://www.forbes.com/sites/nadiaar...egal-in-a-british-supermarket-and-vice-versa/ 

One of the best articles I have read.
Honestly the USDA is not about protecting us from pathogens naturally in food. It is designed to make the garbage our food processing culture has created meet minimum safety guidelines. (Which are incredibly minimum)

We are so much safer by sticking to nature.

The egg standards were made for times when eggs would be in cold storage for up to a year!!!
"… because eggs were held in cold storage for much longer … before distribution – often up to a year after lay, explained Howard Magwire, Vice President of Government Relations, United Egg Producers, in a phone interview."

Plus the cold storage isnt to protect salmonella, its so that an infected egg hopefully doesn't become worse!
"research showed that eggs containing salmonella did not experience any prevalent growth in the number of salmonella cells when kept at room temperature for up to 21 days after purchase. Post 21 days however, and the eggs were heavily contaminated. Further research has shown that storing contaminated eggs in cooler temperatures prohibited the growth of bacteria within the egg over a considerably longer period of time."

Wetness is the eggs worst enemy, so why on earth would you ever want to make an egg wet?
"there’s also the possibility of micro-organisms migrating inside the egg under certain conditions. [one main condition is being wet!]
The eggs are then dried to remove excess moisture. This last step is crucial because bacteria cannot penetrate a thoroughly dry egg shell. "
Very good article!

 

[mpgo4th]

I don't wash them. If one is dirty I wipe the dirty spot off with a warm wet paper towel. I do put in the fridge.

 

[JacobMaxwell]

Deleted

 

[CinnamonQueen]

I wash my eggs only if they are poopy or just dirty in general. I rinse them off in water, (eggs have to have some kind of protection from water, right??) then store them in the fridge. In our house, eggs don't last long because we eat them so fast, so no answers there. I personally think that this doesn't require a huge discussion, its pretty simple.

 

[AK Baha]

Well now I am really confused.