Egg lovers are being warned of the importance of storing their eggs correctly. Food fans who love a good omelette are being told leaving a carton of eggs exposed to heat could risk their health.
That’s because bacteria thrives in warmer environments. Therefore eggs need to be stored in the fridge, with a scientific report from the Food Standards Agency revealing 2.4 million cases of foodborne illness arise in the UK every year.
But a new study by Currys showed 43% of people don’t know there’s a specific place in the fridge that’s ideal for egg storage as they need to be kept at a constant temperature in order to be safe to eat. And that place is, believe it or not, not on a door shelf.
The Food Standards Agency recommends keeping eggs in a “cool, dry place, ideally in the fridge and kept apart from other foods”.
Well, the best place to store eggs inside the fridge according to the British Egg Information Service is right in the middle of the middle shelf.
This centre point of the fridge maintains the most stable temperature. By comparison, placing it in the door could actually put you at risk – despite the cute egg holders your fridge door might come equipped with.
The fridge door experiences the most fluctuating temperature and humidity levels every time you open and close it, leaving your eggs at risk of developing bacteria.
The Currys survey found that 27% of people are storing their eggs on their kitchen counters, leaving their families at risk of potentially harmful bacteria like Salmonella.
A further 16% are storing their eggs in the cupboards, which is also against official advice.
Despite the array of egg holders on the market, the experts recommended keeping your eggs in the carton you’ve bought it in.
The Currys experts noted: “Keeping eggs in the box helps them stay fresher. Those tiny eggshell pores can let in unwanted stuff like bacteria or lingering food smells – and keeping them snug in their carton helps prevent this.”
In this middle-shelf, boxed sweet spot, you can keep eggs good for up to five weeks after purchasing them – but it’s always recommended to act according to the best before date.
Amazingly, you can also freeze eggs, which should allow you to keep it for around six months, but in order to do so you need to prepare them first. But take note – if you freeze it with the shell intact the liquid inside expands and will crack the shell, leaving the egg vulnerable to bacterial contamination.
The Currys experts shared: “Beat the egg together before freezing it. We recommend you store eggs in a container with the date clearly labelled, then use them within 6 months.”