Eggs are one of the most common foods, and Japanese people often take them raw, but in fact, many people usually do not store eggs in the right way, and even the “appreciation period” of the eggs can not be eaten, the Japanese media interviewed Japanese experts to explain the doubts.
The Japanese entertainment magazine “Weekly SPA” online version reported that the Japanese Chicken Breeders Association adviser Seiji Nobuoka said, “the egg appreciation period (the best consumption period, not expiration date) is actually based on science.”
He said that in 1994, a British study investigated a large amount of data on the relationship between egg temperature and shelf life, and finally found a formula to calculate the period of safe egg consumption, that is, the period until the yolk membrane ruptures. Once the yolk membrane ruptures, the egg will deteriorate rapidly.
The higher the temperature of the egg, the easier it is for the yolk to rupture. Therefore, supermarkets and other stores sell eggs with the fastest yolk rupture in the summer to set the expiration date.
Store at 10°C for about 2 months
Eggs can be stored for a longer period of time in winter, and the appreciation period is usually longer than the date stated on the egg carton, for example, they can be stored at 10 degrees Celsius for about 2 months, 20 degrees Celsius for about 1 month, and 28 degrees Celsius for about 16 days.
After considering the different storage conditions and food safety risks of each family, the industry chose to set a shorter period of appreciation, such as about two weeks, so that people can eat with peace of mind.
Basically, a bad egg is inedible, and a bad egg will have a very bad smell, which most people have probably never smelled before.
He said that when the eggs smell bad, they are bad and cannot be eaten; but if they are not bad after the expiration date, they can be heated at 70 degrees Celsius for 60 seconds to kill Salmonella, so there is no problem at all with consumption.
You can think of the appreciation period as “the period when eggs can be eaten raw” (most eggs in Japan can be eaten raw, and special attention is paid to egg sterilization).
It is best to store eggs together with the package
In addition, regarding the storage of eggs, Nobuoka said that many people may put eggs in a special space above the refrigerator door for eggs, but in fact, this location is not ideal, eggs are prone to cracking when the refrigerator door is opened and closed.
He points out that if the impact of opening or closing the door causes the membrane on the inside of the egg shell called the shell membrane to break and the egg white to seep out, it must be eaten immediately; if this state of seepage continues for several days, the egg will deteriorate and will easily go bad.
Nobuoka recommends that eggs be stored on the shelf of the refrigerator directly after purchase, along with the original box, rather than one by one in the egg carton above the refrigerator door.
It is also important not to place the eggs in front of the air conditioning vent in the refrigerator for fear that they will freeze and cause cracks that will not keep them fresh.
Nobuoka reminds us that the most dangerous thing about eating eggs is to let the yolk come into contact with the outside air. Some people deliberately store egg whites and yolks in separate containers for cooking purposes, but doing so may cause food poisoning.
He also said that the eggs should be eaten immediately after the shell is broken, and that the general rule is to heat the dish directly, not to use a plastic box to keep the broken eggs.
Recommended reading:
Will overnight vegetables lose nutrients? Dietitians to solve various overnight vegetables questions
Life’s Common Sense: fresh, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables all have nutritional value
