Can washed eggs be put in the refrigerator?

We often find some dirt on the eggs we buy, so we always rinse them with clean water before eating them. However, when you buy a lot of eggs, you will find that storage is also a very important step. Eggs should be eaten when they are relatively fresh, but if they are rinsed and cannot be eaten, they need to be stored. So can washed eggs be put in the refrigerator?

Will washing eggs and putting them in the refrigerator cause poisoning?

May cause poisoning.

Washed eggs are more susceptible to bacteria and viruses, causing them to deteriorate and cause poisoning if eaten.

An organization has conducted a related experiment, placing washed eggs and unwashed eggs in the refrigerator for 5 days before taking them out. It was found that after the washed eggs were cracked open, the yolks all scattered and were accompanied by a fishy smell. The yolks of unwashed eggs are intact and look very fresh.

How can washed eggs go bad? Because there are thousands of tiny holes on the eggshell, and there is a protective film ("hoar frost") on the surface of the eggshell that is invisible to the naked eye, which "seals" those holes. In this way, it is difficult for bacteria from outside to enter the egg; the nutrients inside the egg are also not easily lost. However, if the protective film is washed off and damaged, the bacteria and viruses outside can easily enter the egg through the pores, causing the egg to deteriorate. If the washed eggs are kept in the refrigerator for a long time, people may experience symptoms of poisoning after eating them.

Is it okay for egg shells to be so dirty?

Some people may say that egg shells are so dirty and have so many bacteria and viruses. How can we eat them if we don’t wash them and store them?

In fact, there is no need to worry at all. First of all, we don’t eat eggshells. Besides, both the avian influenza virus and salmonella are very afraid of heat. As long as you eat well-cooked eggs, there will be no problem. I really can't bear to look at it, so I'll just rinse it with water when I'm ready to use it. Do not wash and then store.

Three taboos for storing eggs

1. Avoid storing eggs and washing them with water

Some people think that the surface of the egg shells they bought is too dirty, or even has chicken droppings on it, so they rinse the eggs with clean water before storing them. In fact, this is wrong. It will damage the nutritional value of eggs and even cause the egg liquid to deteriorate. There is a layer of "white frost" on the outside of the eggshell, which serves to seal the pores on the eggshell, preventing bacteria from entering the egg and preventing the evaporation of water in the egg, keeping the egg liquid fresh. After rinsing the eggs with water, the "white frost" will fall off, bacteria will invade, and water will evaporate, causing the eggs to deteriorate. Therefore, do not rinse the eggs that need to be preserved. When you are ready to use them, of course, you must clean the eggshells before cooking them.

2. Avoid storing fresh eggs directly in the refrigerator

Many people are accustomed to storing the purchased eggs directly in the egg rack of the refrigerator, thinking that this can prevent the eggs from spoiling. In fact, doing so is only counterproductive. Putting fresh eggs on the refrigerator shelf is unhygienic and will damage the eggs and other foods in the refrigerator. Because there are bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli on eggshells, these bacteria can grow and multiply at low temperatures, and the temperature in the refrigerator storage room is often around 4°C, which cannot inhibit the growth and reproduction of microorganisms. This is not only not conducive to the storage of eggs, it can easily cause the eggs to spoil, and it can also contaminate other foods in the refrigerator.

The correct way is to put fresh eggs into a dry and clean food bag and then store them on the egg rack in the refrigerator for safety.

3. Avoid storing eggs horizontally

If fresh eggs are stored horizontally, they are more likely to become leaning against the yolk. Because the egg white of fresh eggs is thick, it can effectively fix the yolk in the center of the egg white. If eggs are stored for a long time, the mucin in the egg white will slowly lose some of its water under the action of protease and lose its function of fixing the yolk. At this time, if the egg is placed horizontally, since the yolk is lighter than the egg white, the yolk will float up and get closer to the eggshell, becoming an egg that is attached to the yolk or close to the eggshell. The yolk of an egg that is close to the yolk will easily fall apart when it is cooked.

Different placement methods determine the quality of egg preservation. It’s best to store it with the big end facing up! Eggs stored with the big end facing up will lose less weight and will be more tender. Because the pores of eggs are mainly concentrated at the big end of the eggshell, turning the big end upwards can prevent the egg liquid from affecting respiration and causing the eggs to be not fresh enough. If you place the egg horizontally, the yolk will easily stick to the eggshell, making it very easy for the yolk to fall apart when the egg is boiled.