Sunday, November 13, 2011

Buying unrefrigerated eggs

We bought our very first eggs from the small supermarket on calle 60.  We've read quite a few comments on various blogs about the fact that, in the Yucatán, eggs are not refrigerated prior to selling. We eyed the shelf displaying eggs in the typical container, without a top, sealed with a clear wrap. I noticed a few people picking up the carton of a dozen eggs and reading a label attached to the package. I assumed they were checking the expiration date. On further inspection I realized that the date (fecho) on the carton was the date the eggs were packaged and presumably hopefully laid. I say this because the dates on various cartons were anywhere from one to three days prior to the current date. I picked a carton with the previous day's date (the freshest), we finished shopping and headed home.

How could millions of people in Mexico eat these unrefrigerated eggs day after day without some horrendous gastrointestinal disturbance? From what I've read about this issue, once you refrigerate them, keep them that way. If out at room temperature for more than a couple of hours, the eggs will sweat and this allows bacteria to enter the egg through the shell.  Look for a date no more than three days from the current date and you should be fine.

By the way, the eggs had a deep golden yolk, tasted fresh, and were delicious.


12 comments:

  1. Hey, if this system ensures freshly laid eggs, I'm happy. Do these come from the same types of mega factory-farms like we have in states -- the kind that have stripped all flavor from pork and chicken? I'd like to know.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lee, I'm not sure I want to know the answer to your question. I have a feeling that egg production in Mexico is similar to the US, but hopefully without all the hormones, chemicals, etc. As far as humane practices go, I'm not so hopeful. But, the eggs do seem to taste better.

    ReplyDelete
  3. As a former duck owner and chicken researcher, I can say that eggs don't need to be refrigerated unless you or the producer have washed them. They come out of the bird with a protective coating--otherwise we'd never have any baby birds because the eggs would rot in the nest.

    The Mexican eggs I've been buying have definitely not been washed. I do put them in the fridge once I've bought them due to decades of gringo programming, but I don't worry about them sitting in the store.

    According to this discussion, eggs in Europe usually aren't washed and are stored at room temperature: http://ask.metafilter.com/103907/Are-these-eggs-safe-to-eat

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hey guys...I keep chickens here in Atlanta and you can either have your eggs out on the kitchen counter or in the fridge...either way is good. But you're right, once you put them in the fridge you have to keep them that way. But eggs will last for quite a while not refrigerated.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm not sure if the eggs we bought were washed, but they were very clean.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Darren and Wade, that's really interesting that you have your own chickens. I work with someone who is getting ready to do the same here in Virginia. It is not allowed in our neighborhood, otherwise I would be tempted.

    ReplyDelete
  7. The first time I went grocery shopping I was a bit flummoxed by the eggs sitting out. But we bought them anyways and have never gotten sick from them. I've also never washed them before using them. Should I be?

    ReplyDelete
  8. My neighbor 1 house over has chickens. It's the newest fad here in St Louis.....They have to have a fence over the top of the pen too as a family of red foxes moved in last summer.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Barb, I think Yucatango has the answer in her comment above to the washing question. It makes sense to me.

    C & P, it would be nice if we could all have a few chickens and produce our own eggs. Plus, I hear the uh...natural fertilizer they produce is fantastic.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks for the post on the eggs followed by some informative comments. Isn't it interesting and refreshing how our beliefs have to be re-examined when we enter a new culture. What do you think about the mayo situation?
    Rainie

    ReplyDelete
  11. Rainie, I've always felt that in the US we are overly cautious , to the point of obsession, with food spoiling if not immediately refrigerated. I remember, as a child in the South, people would have lunch, then throw a table cloth over the leftovers to be eaten at dinner time. Other cultures eat meat bought in open-air markets without suffering ill effects. Mayo is made with raw eggs and vegetable oil, so would likely spoil much faster than an intact egg at room temp.

    ReplyDelete
  12. It seems that the Mexican's believe that a jar of mayo does not have to be refrigerated after opening. They say the additives of food, for example onions, are the culprit causing the food poisoning. Despite this, I can't bring myself to order mayo in a restaurant. Maybe someone with more than a hearsay opinion can shed light on this.

    ReplyDelete