If you're an American, you probably store eggs in the refrigerator – and wouldn't think of doing it any other way. Yet, the US is one of the only countries where chicken eggs are kept refrigerated. In much of Europe, for instance, eggs are often stored right on the counter, at room temperature. But then, US eggs would be illegal in Europe due to an egg-washing process that may actually make them more susceptible to contamination with bacteria like Salmonella.
If an egg is infected with salmonella, the bacteria will multiply more quickly if the egg is stored at room temperature instead of in the refrigerator, particularly if they're stored for longer than 21 days.(1) This is why, in the US, public health agencies advise keeping your eggs in the fridge. And the truth is, the way most eggs are raised in the US – in industrial concentrated animal feeding operations or CAFOs – the risk of salmonella contamination rises. In CAFOs, egg-laying hens are often crammed into tiny quarters with less space to stand upon than the computer screen you are looking at. Disease is rampant, and the birds ARE filthy — not because of their nature, but because we have removed them from their natural habitat and compromised their innate resistance to disease. Eggs from such large flocks (30,000 birds or more… and some actually house millions of hens) and eggs from caged hens have many times more salmonella bacteria than eggs from smaller flocks, organically fed and free-ranging flocks. They're also more likely to be antibiotic-resistant strains, due to the flock's routine exposure to such drugs. It is because of these disease-promoting practices that the US also employs egg washing – a technique that's actually banned in Europe.
Why Are American Eggs Washed, When Egg Washing Is Banned in Much of Europe?
When you have eggs from tens of thousands of chickens – or more — all under one roof, there's a good chance they're going to get feces and other contaminants on them. The US solution, rather than reducing the size of the flocks and ensuring better sanitation and access to the outdoors, is to wash the eggs. But this isn't as innocuous as it sounds. As the eggs are scrubbed, rinsed, dried, and spritzed with a chlorine mist, its protective cuticle may be compromised. This is a natural barrier that comes from the mother hen that lays the egg, and it acts as a shield against bacteria. It even contains antimicrobial properties. US egg-washing strips this natural protectant from the egg, which may actually make it more likely to become contaminated. According to European Union (EU) guidelines: “Such damage may favor trans-shell contamination with bacteria and moisture loss and thereby increase the risk to consumers, particularly if subsequent drying and storage conditions are not optimal.” Industrial egg washing, by the way, is banned in much of Europe, not only because of potential damage to the eggs' cuticles but also because it might allow for more “sloppy” egg-producing practices. The chief executive of Britain's Egg Industry Council told Forbes:(2) “In Europe, the understanding is that [prohibiting the washing and cleaning of eggs] actually encourages good husbandry on farms. It's in the farmers' best interests then to produce the cleanest eggs possible, as no one is going to buy their eggs if they're dirty.” In the US, of course, you'd have no way of knowing whether your bright-white grocery-store eggs were covered in filth before they arrived in your kitchen. Plus, about 10 percent of US eggs are treated with mineral or vegetable oil, basically as a way to “replace” the protective cuticle that's just been washed off. Unfortunately, since an eggshell contains approximately 7,500 pores or openings, once the natural cuticle has been removed what's put ON your egg goes INTO your egg. Meaning, whatever the eggshell comes into contact with can cross over this semi-permeable membrane and end up in your scrambled eggs, from chlorine to mineral oil to dish soap — to salmonella .
Eggs ARE a Highly Nutritious Food.
The issue of whether or not to refrigerate your eggs becomes a moot point if you've been scared into believing that eggs are bad for your health. I want to address this briefly, as there is a major misconception that you must avoid foods like eggs and saturated fat to protect your heart. Eggs are an incredible source of high-quality protein and fat—nutrients that many are deficient in. And I believe eggs are a nearly ideal fuel source for most of us. The evidence clearly shows that eggs are one of the most healthful foods you can eat, and can actually help prevent disease, including heart disease. For example, previous studies have found that:
Consumption of more than six eggs per week does not increase the risk of stroke and ischemic stroke(5)
Eating two eggs a day does not adversely affect endothelial function (an aggregate measure of cardiac risk) in healthy adults, supporting the view that dietary cholesterol may be less detrimental to cardiovascular health than previously thought(6)
Proteins in cooked eggs are converted by gastrointestinal enzymes, producing peptides that act as ACE inhibitors (common prescription medications for lowering blood pressure)(7)
A survey of South Carolina adults found no correlation of blood cholesterol levels with “bad” dietary habits, such as use of red meat, animal fats, fried foods, butter, eggs, whole milk, bacon, sausage, and cheese(8)
As for a way to eat your eggs for optimum health, ideally the yolks ought to be consumed raw, because the heat can injury several of the extremely biodegradable nutrients within the food. to boot, the cholesterin within the food will be oxidised with high temperatures, particularly once it's to bear with the iron gift within the whites and fried, as in disorganised eggs, and such oxidization contributes to chronic inflammation in your body.
Source : Dr.mercola
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