Storage PROPER STORAGE KEEPS EGGS FRESH FOR LONGER
If eggs are stored properly, their freshness can be extended considerably. This is true at the manufacturer’s, during shipping and not least at the consumer’s home. Proper storage is partly about correct temperatures, location in the fridge, use of egg trays and taking the optimum precautions in relation to bacterial protection. Temperature ‘The Trade Standards’ have no official requirements for storage temperature, but recommends that eggs are stored and transported at a constant temperature. However, eggs must not be cooled to below 5 °C. Danish legislation requires eggs to be stored at a maximum of 12 °C. If you comply with these requirements, the quality of the egg will decrease very slowly. At DAVA Foods, eggs are kept in cold storage at temperatures between 5 to 12 °C at all stages – from the manufacturer, during transport and as raw and finished products. Package date The egg tray indicates the packing date and ‘best by’ date so that consumers can easily see the age of the
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egg. If the egg is kept at the correct temperature, the expiration date offers a very clear indication of how fresh the egg is. Placing eggs in the fridge The middle shelf in the fridge is the best place to keep eggs. If kept in the fridge door, the egg’s temperature can fluctuate with the opening and closing of the door, making it harder to keep them fresh. In addition, eggs stored in the fridge door are at extra risk of being broken. Separate storage It is important to keep eggs and other foods that entail a risk of salmonella infection separate from other foods. Raw meat, eggs and similar foods should be stored separately from ready-to-eat food, and we recommend using different kitchen utensils for different foods. Storing hard-boiled eggs Hard-boiled eggs can be stored for up to a week in the fridge, whether peeled or not. But they should be placed in a plastic container to prevent them from absorbing odours from other foods in the fridge.
The egg tray The safest place to store eggs is in the egg tray. Made of recycled paper or plastic, an egg tray prevents the egg from breaking – for example when the fridge door is opened and slammed shut – and from absorbing strong odours from other food in the fridge through the thousands of small pores in the shell. In the tray, the egg is also protected against loss of liquid through its pores. Freezing eggs Pasteurized whole eggs and egg whites can be frozen. The products should be defrosted in the fridge and used immediately after defrosting. Frozen pasteurized whole eggs and egg whites can be used for baking when heating is necessary after freezing. Freezing egg yolks is not recommended.