The Reason Eggs Are Refrigerated In America — And Why It's Not Necessary In Other Countries

There's no shortage of culinary confusion when you travel to a new country, and it can take some time to get used to the way things are handled in kitchens away from home. Egg handling is one of the differences many travelers from the United States are surprised about when they travel abroad. If you've ever found yourself wondering exactly how some other countries are able to keep their eggs fresh on the counter while those of us in the States are stuck keeping them in the fridge (and figuring out the best way to bring them to room temperature for baking), you're not alone.

So why, exactly, don't British eggs (and eggs from many other countries, for that matter) have to go in the refrigerator, while U.S. eggs stay chilly? It comes down to how the eggs are processed before they hit the supermarket — and how each country approaches salmonella prevention. Salmonella can contaminate eggs in two ways: it can develop inside the egg, or it can be present on the egg's shell. In the United States (and some other countries, including Japan and Australia), eggs are washed before they're sold in an attempt to reduce the chances of consumers contracting salmonella. This process destroys a naturally-occurring protective coating (known as the egg's bloom) on the surface of the shell, which leaves the egg more vulnerable to bacteria entering through the shell's pores. To help counter this vulnerability, U.S. egg processors spray the eggs with oil and instruct customers to keep them refrigerated, which can hold off bacteria and prevent eggs from getting moldy.

Countries that don't wash their eggs — and, therefore, keep the bloom — usually vaccinate their hens against salmonella to prevent it from developing inside the egg. Both methods seem to work to protect consumers from salmonella, thankfully.

If you'd like to gain back valuable storage space in your fridge by leaving your eggs on the counter instead of on their chilled little shelf, you might be in luck. Buying your eggs directly from a farm — before they're processed for commercial sale — is the way to go. When you buy eggs that haven't been washed, the intact protective bloom will keep the interior from being contaminated with salmonella. To prevent potential contamination from salmonella that could be on the exterior of the shell, you'll want to rinse them off in the sink immediately before you use them. Once they're on the counter, you can safely leave them out at room temperature for about two hours.

If you only have access to commercially produced eggs (meaning, the ones you buy at the grocery store), you'll need to continue to keep them cold. Since the protective bloom has been washed away during processing, the eggs don't have what they need to stay safe from bacteria. If you really want to keep your eggs on the counter, you'll need to purchase them directly from a farm — and it's a good idea to have a chat with the farmer to make sure the bloom is intact before you decide to keep them on the counter.