I just realized I left a dozen eggs out overnight on the kitchen counter.

[Vida Winter]

Can I still use them in cookies? I keep it in the mid 60's in the house.

[Laurel]

Yep. Eggs don't need to be refrigerated.

[Vida Winter]

Yep. Eggs don't need to be refrigerated.

 

That's all I needed to hear. Thanks! Egg is added to the batter.

[Guest Katia]

Just FYI : egg that are rotten float when you put them in water. Good eggs sink. This is an easy way to tell if it's ok to use your eggs.

[Doran]

Just FYI : egg that are rotten float when you put them in water. Good eggs sink. This is an easy way to tell if it's ok to use your eggs.

 

 

 

The reason some eggs float is because the air cell, which is a natural part of any egg, has become so large that it acts like a little flotation device inside the egg. Air cells expand as the egg ages, but it doesn't *necessarily* mean the egg is rotten. It just means it's really old. And, that would not happen after an overnight on the counter.

 

That said, unless I was very sure from whence the eggs had come, I'd probably toss a floater. Just not worth the risk of cracking that puppy open! :D

[Laura Corin]

Not a problem: I never refrigerate eggs, and they are not refrigerated in the shops here either.

 

Laura

[dragons in the flower bed]

I keep it in the mid 60's in the house.

 

No wonder you're wearing a hat in your avatar!

[klmama]

I don't want to disagree with everyone, but I was told that only eggs that have never been refrigerated are okay to eat that way. Once they've been refrigerated, they should be kept cold until you plan to use them. I have no idea why, but I assumed that something changed in the refrigeration process that would make them go bad faster when warm. Does this sound familiar to anyone else?

[Snickerdoodle]

Yes, in Europe you sometimes buy eggs with chicken poop and/or feathers still attached. :lol

 

from http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/Processing/Eggs-washed-or-unwashed

 

EU regulations require that eggs sold directly to the public, defined as "Grade A", must not be washed or cleaned before or after grading. Producers also cannot chill or treat eggsfor preservation. Grade B eggs, the second classification in the EU, may only be used by the food or non-food industries and can be washed or unwashed.

 

Other countries like the US and Sweden require that all eggs be washed prior to being sold, claiming the procedure's food safety benefits outweigh the disadvantages.

[Snickerdoodle]

I just posted that to show why eggs in Europe are bought at room temperature whilst those sold in the US are refrigerated.

[Renee in NC]

I just posted that to show why eggs in Europe are bought at room temperature whilst those sold in the US are refrigerated.

 

Yes, but the likelihood of eating a bad egg is pretty, well, unlikely unless you have no sense of smell!!!:lol:

[Lakeside]

Not a problem: I never refrigerate eggs, and they are not refrigerated in the shops here either.

 

Laura

 

How long do they last if you don't refrigerate them?

[Renee in NC]

How long do they last if you don't refrigerate them?

 

Depends on lots of things, but I've had them last more than a couple of months unrefrigerated.

[Doran]

This isn't Gospel, but it does come with a bunch of years of selling eggs to the public and the various refrigeration truths and myths that I've learned in the process.

 

Truth: The US Dept. of Agriculture requires that all eggs sold to the public be kept refrigerated at or below 43° at all times. The EU does not share this policy (see previous post).

 

Myth: Eggs which are not refrigerated will go bad quickly and should be discarded.

 

Truth: Eggs which have never been washed have a natural coating, called "bloom" which inhibits the ability of unwanted bacteria to enter the porous egg shell, thereby protecting the little embryo inside.

 

Myth: Unwashed eggs are better for you.

 

Truth: Eggs kept unrefrigerated will not necessarily bring you the kiss of death, even if they have been washed before. But, it is assumed (maybe even proven?) that there is a greater likelihood of the occurrence of bacterial contamination in eggs which have been washed, because the natural bloom is no longer present.

 

Myth: A bad egg will smell bad.

 

Truth: A truly rotten egg smells bad.

 

Myth: A bad egg will float in water.

 

Truth: An old egg will often float in water.

 

Truth: An egg can be contaminated with salmonella and look, smell, and taste just fine. Eaten raw or undercooked, these eggs can cause illness (sometimes severe) in humans.

 

Truth: Once an egg has been washed and then refrigerated, it is probably *safer* to make sure it remains refrigerated at all times. As the egg warms up, it will sweat and moisture will accumulate on the shell. When the egg cools down again, air, moisture, and possibly bacteria will potentially be drawn back into the egg. That said, commercial eggs sold in the US have not only been washed, but sanitized before going to market. Therefore, the risk of contamination AFTER SALE is very slight.

 

Truth: A refrigerated egg (washed or not) will lose quality less rapidly than an UNrefrigerated egg. Loss of quality means that the albumen (white) becomes runnier and thinner, and the yolk (yellow) flattens out more noticeably when the egg is opened onto a flat surface. Any already present bacteria will grow more rapidly in an egg kept at room temperature versus one kept at 43°.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope that's helpful to someone. Not trying to sound like a know it all -- but there is a lot of confusion "out there", and I thought this might clear some of that up. Maybe? Or not. :tongue_smilie:

[Renee in NC]

Doran, isn't salmonella present in refrigerated eggs, too? I just always assume salmonella (in eggs and poultry) and act accordingly.

 

Myth: A bad egg will smell bad.

 

Truth: A truly rotten egg smells bad.

 

 

I always thought a bad egg *was* a rotten egg. Now that I think of it, though, we have had rotten eggs that didn't float and non-rotten eggs that we didn't use because they looked odd.

[Doran]

Doran, isn't salmonella present in refrigerated eggs, too? I just always assume salmonella (in eggs and poultry) and act accordingly.

 

 

Well...yes and no. Not all eggs are contaminated. But, if an egg is contaminated, then refrigeration won't eliminate that fact. Only completely cooking the egg will eliminate the bacteria.

 

 

 

I always thought a bad egg *was* a rotten egg. Now that I think of it, though, we have had rotten eggs that didn't float and non-rotten eggs that we didn't use because they looked odd.

 

 

I suppose it's all in how you define "bad". I think most people associate "bad" with "stinky rotten" when, actually, "bad" could just mean contaminated, right?

 

 

From the American Egg Board website:

 

The inside of an egg was once considered almost sterile. But, over recent years, the bacterium Salmonella enteritidis (Se) has been found inside a small number of eggs. Scientists estimate that, on average across the U.S., only 1 of every 20,000 eggs might contain the bacteria. So, the likelihood that an egg might contain Se is extremely small – 0.005% (five one-thousandths of one percent). At this rate, if you’re an average consumer, you might encounter a contaminated egg once every 84 years.

 

[Renee in NC]

I understand now. I assume that all eggs are contaminated and act accordingly (I realize they aren't, but there is no way to know!) When I think bad I think rotten.

[SonshineLearner]

Not a problem: I never refrigerate eggs, and they are not refrigerated in the shops here either.

 

Laura

 

What I've heard is that if their protective coating (what's it called?) is washed off, that they can be kept in the pantry for <weeks?> but once that's washed, they need to be kept in the fridge. Of course, overnight is most likely just fine....although my dog would be voting for them going in his dish! :-) :willy_nilly: