Should I refrigerate eggs?
Ava Arnold
Updated on March 22, 2026
Storing your eggs in the fridge is the best way to keep bacteria under control. As an added bonus, it also keeps eggs fresher for much longer than storing them at room temperature.
Can you keep eggs at room temperature?
"After eggs are refrigerated, they need to stay that way," the USDA website explains. "A cold egg left out at room temperature can sweat, facilitating the movement of bacteria into the egg and increasing the growth of bacteria. Refrigerated eggs should not be left out more than two hours."Why eggs should not be refrigerated?
Experts believe that eggs are best stored at room temperature. Storing eggs in too cold a temperature, i.e. in the refrigerator can make them inedible. Keeping eggs in the fridge cause the growth of bacteria on the shells and this turn and enter the insides of the eggs, in turn making them inedible.How long can you keep eggs unrefrigerated?
You can leave eggs on the counter about two hours at room temperature or one hour if the temperature is 90 degrees or hotter before you start to worry, per the Egg Safety Center. After two hours, you'd be safer to throw those eggs out and get a fresh dozen rather than chance it.Do farm fresh eggs need to be refrigerated?
Because the origins of purchased eggs cannot be certain (even when organic or farm fresh), they should always be refrigerated. If you choose to refrigerate, those eggs are committed. Once chilled, an egg returned to room temperature may sweat, opening pores and exposing the egg to potential bacteria.Should You Store Eggs in the Fridge?
Do you refrigerate eggs from backyard chickens?
Once they're out of the coop and free of any of the feathers and poop that came with them, eggs should be refrigerated. Although unwashed eggs with cuticles intact can safely be stored at room temperature, refrigerating your eggs will help them last longer; about 5-6 weeks.Why are store bought eggs refrigerated?
To keep bacteria to a minimum, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires commercially sold eggs to be stored and transported below 45°F (7°C). Once eggs have been refrigerated, they must be kept refrigerated to prevent condensation from forming on the shell if they warm up.Why do Americans put eggs in the fridge?
Cleaning the eggs removes the cuticle, so the eggs must be kept at refrigeration temperature. Otherwise, the bacteria could easily enter the egg and multiply to dangerous levels. By keeping it out of the danger zone, salmonella can't multiply rapidly.What is the proper way to store eggs?
What Is the Best Way To Store Eggs in the Refrigerator?
- Don't ditch the store-bought carton. ...
- Keep eggs in a closed carton at all times. ...
- Don't store eggs in the door of your refrigerator. ...
- Keep eggs facing upside-down in the carton. ...
- Don't return used eggshells to the carton or reuse cartons.