There has been many a heated debate about
where to put your eggs
salmonella, some experts still recommend eggs are kept in the fridge
Years ago, most of our condiments, including
our eggs, were kept in the kitchen cupboard, but recently more and more of us
are opting to move them into the fridge. Despite the fact that a new survey
revealed us Brits are the least likely people in Europe to refrigerate our
eggs.
So why is it that some people believe eggs,
which have sat happily on our kitchen counters for so many years, should have
to make the move into the cold?
Some eggs-perts *groans again* argue eggs
should be kept in the fridge to avoid incidence of food poisoning, like
salmonella. Indeed, The British Egg Information Service believes the only place
to keep food cool and avoid temperature fluctuations is the fridge, hence the
advice on egg packs and fridges actually coming with those little plastic egg
holders in them.
Linda Nicolaides, a Microbiologist and an expert
in Food Safety & Quality Management explains how eggs could contribute to
the risk of salmonella.
“There is a low risk that eggs will become
infected with Salmonella Enteritidis Phage type 4 at the point of laying,” she
explains. “If this happens the bacterial cells present in low numbers will be
“trapped” in the white (Albumen). In fresh eggs the albumen is too viscous to
allow salmonellae to move from the point of infection. As the egg is stored it
absorbs moisture from the air diluting the albumen. It takes approximately
three weeks for the albumen to be liquid enough to allow Salmonella to swim
from the albumen into the yolk, where they can use the surrounding nutrients to
increase in numbers.”
“The government recommends that eggs should
be eggs in the refrigerator in the domestic situation,” adds Linda. “However
they should be used within three weeks of laying to make sure the yolk is
Salmonella free.”
But not all eggs-perts (sorry, sorry!) agree.
Dr Martin Goldberg, a lecturer in microbiology at Nottingham Trent University he says. “When we find Salmonella in eggs, it is
because they get in during formation of the eggs in the chickens’ oviducts.”
Craig Mather, head chef at the Empire Room, Ramsgate
“Egg shells are porous and will absorb
flavours of other foods in the fridge, such as cheese (which shouldn’t be in
the fridge either) or onions,” he adds.
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