How to store eggs in the refrigerator: the optimal period and conditions

The question of how much chicken eggs can be stored arises from the hostess when there are a lot of them in the house: before Easter and after the holiday, after a successful visit to the fair, etc. It is not difficult to answer it. Boiled eggs are stored in the refrigerator for up to 7 days, raw - up to 28 days, subject to certain conditions.

Why is it important to know the shelf life of eggs in the refrigerator? Because this product is a permanent resident of every refrigerator in the world. They are actively used in cooking as an independent dish: they cook, fry, stuff, and they are included in the ingredients for a variety of recipes, from baking to sauces to ready-made dishes. Moreover, the boiled dyed egg is one of the central dishes of the menu for the Great Easter. That's when the house really has their abundance!

As a rule, this product is bought for a family in the amount of 1-2 dozens. In this case, the hostess needs to pay attention to the date of their packing and you can not especially watch how much they will be stored, since they are used usually during the week. But if the eggs are bought in large quantities, or a basket with them - it's a gift from my grandmother, then I'll have to follow the terms. Let's see in more detail how to do it.

How much to store?

eggs are usually stored in the refrigerator, but if this is not possible( in the absence of a refrigerator, when it suddenly breaks, etc.), they can be at room temperature. Consider how much time they are stored depending on the state.

So, shelf life when using the refrigerator:

• Raw can be stored for up to 28 days.
• The shelf life of boiled eggs depends on how much and how they were prepared. Boiled hard boiled stored 5-7 days, boiled "in a bag" - up to 2 days, cooked soft-boiled - up to 2 days. If in the process of cooking hard-cracked shells, you can use the egg for food within 2-3 days.
• Easter coloring does not affect the storage of eggs, when it comes to natural dyes( onion husks, turmeric, beet juice, etc.).They are stored, like ordinary boiled eggs, not longer than a week. If their decor was made with a thermal film, the shelf life is reduced by 1-2 days, as it does not allow the product to breathe. In addition, often with improperly performed procedure for decorating thermal film under it remains a little water, which over time acquires an unpleasant musty smell.
• Raw uncased eggs can remain fresh in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
• Boiled eggshells can be stored in a container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

At room temperature it is necessary to arrange storage as follows:

• raw - 7-10 days.
• boiled - up to 2 days.

The above dates, describing how much this product can keep fresh, will be fair if you comply with certain requirements. When stored at home, you must choose a dark cool place, the humidity in which should not exceed 85%.If the conditions are not met, the terms are reduced.

For example, in the warm season, eggs cooked on the road will be fresh and suitable for food not more than 12 hours, as hot temperatures on the street contribute to a faster process of spoilage. Let's talk about what conditions to create for the correct content of this product in the refrigerator, below.

Tip - how much can you store raw eggs in the refrigerator:

• goose, duck are stored up to 2 weeks;
• turkey eggs - up to 4 weeks;
• quail - up to 3 months.

How to store?

As stated above, the timeframe is valid for the correct storage of eggs. So how correctly to store eggs? Let's consider some principles.

1. In most refrigerators, the cells for storing this product are located on the door. However, not everyone knows how many degrees there are. Compared to the average temperature in the refrigerator( + 4 ° C), the door is much warmer( + 8-10 ° C).And eggs should be stored at a temperature of 2-4 ° C.Therefore, the ideal place for them is the lower shelf of the refrigerating chamber.
2. Place the egg in the container with a sharp end down.
3. The most successful option - a container of cardboard. It protects the product from foreign odors and maintains moisture.
4. Before storing in the refrigerator, the shell should not be washed, even if it is dirty. This reduces shelf life. On the contrary, it is necessary to clean the shell from contamination before starting the cooking or before breaking it into a dish.
5. When buying eggs in the store, you can focus on the date of their packaging, indicated on the container. However, before counting from it the period of possible use, it is worth making a discount of 3-5 days for the difference in the dates of packaging and "production".
6. For eggs from your own farm, you can safely calculate the expiry date.

How to check for freshness?

You can rely on the timeframe, but it's worth taking into account the following feature: if the storage time has come to an end, it does not mean that at the same moment the product has deteriorated. And vice versa, if there are 2-3 days left before the expiration date, then the eggs will be definitely fresh. Therefore, when they have lain in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks, before using it is worth checking their freshness. At home, you can do so.

1. Shake the egg near the ear. If there are no sounds, then it's fresh. If you hear "squelching," then it's better not to take risks and not eat it.
2. Look "through" the shell in bright sunlight. If no dark inclusions are visible, then the product is fresh.
3. Do not break the egg right into the dish. If it is spoiled, then all foods mixed with it will become unsuitable for eating. It should be broken into a separate bowl and evaluated for freshness by smell and other signs, and then added to the dish.
4. In a stale egg, the protein becomes cloudy and acquires an iridescent hue.
5. If you place raw eggs in a jar of salt water, the fresh ones will lie on their sides at the bottom or lift slightly. And those that surfaced or hang, in food to use undesirable.

The last version of the test can show not only the freshness of the product, but also how much it was stored. It is useful to know using eggs for cooking. For example, poached will be obtained only from a fresh dietary product, which was stored no more than a week, as well as successful pastry. With this approach to product selection, the result will be at an altitude. To separate the protein from the yolk, freshness is also important. This process easily passes through the product stored up to 5-7 days. The storage position will be indicated by the position of the egg at the bottom of the can.

Eggs are a storehouse of good and a product for all time. No wonder in most countries, the dishes from them are traditionally served for breakfast - the most important meal for the whole day. Keep them right and enjoy!