Here's Why You Have To Refrigerate Eggs

Most of us are in the habit of storing away eggs in the refrigerator the minute we get home from the supermarket. But travel to Europe, and you'll see eggs sitting out far from the refrigerator case for days at a time. So do we actually need to refrigerate eggs?

Well, it's a little complicated. First of all, in America, all eggs should be refrigerated, full stop. In the States, eggs are washed with soap and water and sprayed with oil before being sent to the market. Being washed removes the egg's natural defense against bacteria, which is replaced by the oil. Because of this process, all American eggs need to be refrigerated and will remain fresh for up to five weeks. In Europe, the eggs aren't washed before they're sent to the market, so there's no need to refrigerate them right away.

And by the way, don't store eggs in the little egg holder compartment inside some refrigerator doors; the temperature fluctuations caused by the opening and closing of the door will cause the eggs to spoil quicker. Just keep them inside the carton they came in, and store them toward the back of the fridge.