Should eggs be kept in the fridge?

[Taytocrisps]

I've been admiring one of those ceramic chickens they sell for storing eggs. But that would mean storing my eggs on the kitchen counter. Do they keep ok out of the fridge?

Also a bit impractical for getting to the oldest ones first? Although I suppose if you get through them all in a week it wouldnt matter

It's recommended to keep eggs in the fridge in the UK because the temperature is constant and it keeps them fresher.

Meh. I have never stored eggs in the fridge and I have yet to die of unrefridgerated egg.

That's for freshnesa not if egg is bad. I hope people are not throwing away perfectly fine, but not perfectly fresh eggs😱

Just to add. Testing for freshness can be very good thing if making for example meringue. Older eggs go bit more liquidy so will not make as good meringue as fresher ones. Or poached eggs.
You can see the difference when making fried eggs. On really fresh ones, the egg really holds, on older you get more runny white when cracking them into the pan.

I only put mine in the fridge if it's more than 30 degrees C outside.

Otherwise they go in the egg-holder on the worktop.

As I understand it:
Eggs in USA (because the protective natural coating is washed off pre sale) = store in fridge.
Eggs in UK (where they aren't washed pre sale) = not kept in fridge.

We keep ours in a bowl on the worktop and if I'm in doubt about the freashness I just do the water test (if it sinks it's okay, if it floats it's off).

I keep the majority of eggs in the fridge, but keep a small bowl on the side with between 3-4 eggs in it - so they're at room temperature and ready to use.

As people take eggs out of the small bowl, I replenish from the fridge.

No need to put them in the fridge if you are in the UK. A simple test to check they are fit to eat after their sell by date is to put them in a bowl full of water. If your egg floats it's not okay. If you are making meringues whisking from room temperature will be a lot more fluffy too!

Eggs have instructions?

I keep mine on the kitchen counter, I had a Canadian visitor who kept moving them to the fridge.

We have a wire chicken egg holder and it holds loads. We get through about 15-20 eggs a week! Pkge Chrome Plated Chicken Hen Shaped Wire Egg Storage Basket Holder Rack, Metal Table Top Snacks Organizer Kitchen Gadget - Store 24 Eggs- 33 x 20 x 25 cm : Amazon.co.uk: Home & Kitchen

My eggs come direct from the hen house in my garden, my chickens are yet to issue me with instructions for storage 😁. I’ve not kept my eggs in the fridge ever and they are absolutely fine. They last for 4 weeks out of the fridge.

Nope on the work top. As already said, in the UK they don't need to go in the fridge. Eggs aren't stored in fridge at supermarket, even before they are put on the shelf.

YES THEY DO!!!! Go to your fridge and READ the instructions. Ffs. Why do you think know more than food manufacturers and scientists?

Who manufactures eggs exactly?

For eggs that comes because stable temperature is the best and most people's kitchens are not stable temperature. Afaik it makes them last longer too

Mine have that instructions on too.

Lucy, Mabel and Olive here 😁

Eggs in their box on the counter here, have never had a bad one, but do mentally keep track and use the older ones for baking. Generally they don't hang around for longer than 10 days though.

Eggs just need to be kept below 20 degrees C for optimum shelf life. There’s absolutely no need to refrigerate; if there was, do you really think that the supply chain from farm to supermarket would be entirely at ambient temperature?

The recommendation to refrigerate at home for supermarket eggs is entirely because not everyone’s home is below 20 degrees. But even at more than 20 degrees eggs will be fine…they just won’t be as fine for as long.

All else being equal, the science behind them being okay unrefrigerated in the retailers hands is not different to the science applied for home storage!

What are you talking about?

My fridge doesnt have any instructions about eggs. Does yours?

Blimey. Something needs chilling round here but it's not the eggs.

Eggs do not need to be kept in the fridge. Nor does mayonnaise, ketchup, butter or many, many other food items that may well say 'keep refrigerated' on them.

And 'use by' dates aren't set in stone, either <runs>

Never washed eggs nor kept them in the fridge.

wash eggs?!

I shall ask my manufacturer of eggs.

been. She says no to the fridge

I've never kept eggs in the fridge. Never been ill from them and they often last up to a month after their date.

Even in my MIL's house, where the ambient temp is set to 'tropical jungle' eggs live on the kitchen counter and are absolutely fine. Probably not for quite as long as they are in our far chillier kitchen, but fine nonetheless.

A study showed that eggs stay fresh slightly longer if kept in the fridge, but it’s perfectly ok to keep them on the counter.