When it comes to eggs, it is undoubtedly an indispensable ingredient in our daily life. Whether it is the family table or children's lunch box, you can always see its round figure. Despite their small size, eggs are rich in nutritional value, containing high-quality protein and lecithin, which is good for the brain. Eggs can be enjoyed in a variety of ways, from a simple poached egg to a fried egg, to a wide range of scrambled dishes and cakes, the addition of eggs always adds a unique flavour to the dish. Because eggs are so versatile and nutritious, we often buy more than one at a time to meet our daily needs.
Most people store eggs in the fridge to keep them fresh, which may seem like a natural way to prolong their shelf life and maintain their freshness. But the question is, is this the best way to store eggs?
Although refrigerator freshness is a common method, you should pay attention to moderation and avoid over-freezing or prolonged storage. Checking the freshness of your eggs at the right time and choosing to eat them as fresh as possible while ensuring food safety will make every bite full of nutrients and flavour. When we talk about the preservation of eggs, especially on the question of whether they should be placed in the refrigerator, there are a few key factors that are worth delving into. Firstly, let's focus on the secret guardian of the egg's interior - the subshell membrane. This delicate layer of silk, woven into a network of film, like the egg's personal bodyguard, not only enhances the thickness of the egg's ‘armour’, so that it is not easy to be damaged in daily handling, but also in the egg's internal construction of a solid line of defence, especially in the process of nurturing the new life, it is like an attentive guardian, maintaining the internal stability and harmony. Harmony. However, the cold embrace of the refrigerator may inadvertently make the bodyguard ‘shiver’, so the membrane under the shell shrinks, unintentionally opening the ‘back door’ for bacteria and microorganisms, thus quietly shortening the freshness period of the egg.
Egg shells are covered with tiny air holes that are difficult to see with the naked eye, and these holes are like windows for the egg to communicate with the outside world, allowing oxygen to sneak in quietly to help the egg stay alive; at the same time, carbon dioxide can also be discharged smoothly through these windows, maintaining the delicate balance within the egg. This silent ‘breathing’ is the key to keeping eggs fresh and extending their shelf life. Therefore, when we are faced with the question of whether or not to store eggs in the refrigerator, we should realise that although the refrigerator can provide us with a low-temperature environment that slows down food spoilage, excessive refrigeration may interfere with the natural ‘breathing’ rhythm of the egg, affecting the protective function of the membrane under the shell, which is counterproductive. Therefore, when preserving eggs, we need to find the most suitable way to store them, so that this nutritional gift from nature can be presented in the most perfect state on our table.
Indeed, although the refrigerator for the food ‘time machine’, can slow down the pace of corruption, its internal high humidity environment, so that the surface of the egg is out of a water droplet. These beads of water as a miniature barrier, hindering the eggs through tiny pores and the outside world ‘breathing’ exchanges, not only so that the eggs lose the natural preservation mechanism, but also for those lurking bacteria to provide a breeding ground, so that they can quickly reproduce, the quality of the eggs pose a threat. Moreover, although the refrigerator is known as the ‘food safe’, it is also a ‘social place’ for bacteria.
Therefore, we have come up with three reasons why eggs should not be kept in the fridge for a long time. So, how to find a more suitable habitat for eggs? The answer is not complicated. All we need to do is place the eggs in a cool, dry and well-ventilated place, which is like creating a natural haven for them. Here, the eggs are free to ‘breathe’ and maintain their optimum freshness. Of course, to ensure the quality of the eggs, we should also follow the principle of ‘buy in small quantities and enjoy them promptly’.
