Should you store your eggs at room temperature or in the refrigerator? Here is the detailed answer

The French love the eggsthey are even eating more and more of them. This is what is revealed by the results of a survey by the National Committee for the Promotion of Eggs (CNPO) published in the spring and which confirmed the appeal of this food of animal origin rich in proteins and antioxidants that protect against diseases affecting the eyes and therefore vision. On average, in 2023 each French person will have eaten 224 eggseither 24 more than ten years ago. “People eat eggs because they are cheap. A omelette, It doesn’t cost much! A steak, a little more…”reported a retiree to our colleagues at TF1 after the study’s statistics were published. Indeed, for an average price of 3.80 euros in stores, a box of 12 eggs is far from expensive, even though it allows several people to eat at the same meal.

The interest of eggs also lies in its retention period which can go up to several weekswhether they come from an open-air farm, called ‘organic’ and purchased in supermarkets, or directly from a producer. However, it is necessary to pay attention to how you store them so that they remain perfectly edible and protected from bacteria for as long as possible.

Storage at room temperature under conditions

We often ask ourselves the question of whether it is better to keep eggs coolnamely in the refrigerator, or in the open air. There is no single answer to the question, and it all depends on where they come from. In the United States, you may have noticed that Americans store their eggs in the refrigerator door. In France, we tend to store them in a dark and/or temperate place, at room temperature. The difference is that across the Atlantic, eggs are sanitized as soon as they are laid. In fact, the shell becomes more porous, which exposes the inside to higher risks of contamination. In our country, the shell is not washed and the eggs are stored directly in a box, so that the thin layer surrounding them called the cuticle protects them from any external aggression, such as salmonella which is the most well-known bacteria possibly affecting eggs.

This thin film therefore allows the eggs to be preserved in the open air, although it is necessary to remember certain rules despite everything. Indeed, eggs are particularly sensitive to sudden changes in temperature. So, if you are not planning to consume them quickly, then it is recommended to place them in the refrigerator. You will do the same during the periods of high heatespecially in summer, and could therefore avoid any risk of bacterial contamination. Eggs do not tolerate high temperatures well above 20°C. Finally, be aware that if one of them is cracked, even slightly, it is best to keep it in the refrigerator as well because its natural barrier could be compromised.

How to store eggs in the refrigerator?

Most fridges have a space dedicated to eggs, often in the door, and very practical for keeping them upright without fear of any cracks. But be careful because this is one of the places most subject to temperature variations. We cannot remind you enough to place in the center of the refrigerator without removing them from their original packaging.

On the question of the proper storage of food in the refrigerator, theUFC-What to Choose emphasizes that to avoid the proliferation of bacteria it is advisable to adjust the thermostat between 0 and 5°Cknowing that 4°C is an ideal temperature. Also, in the event that your fridge does not convey an absolutely uniform temperature (cold stirred or cold ventilated), it is recommended to carefully choose which food to store in which compartment. For example, it is better to store meat, fish and started products in the coldest zone, often located at the bottom.
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