Eggs in the UK are Different from Eggs in the US

If you recall the post on Big American Refrigerators, it was mentioned that Americans refrigerate eggs because regulations require the removal of the protective outer layer, while Australians do not. It’s the same in the UK, and an article at HuffPo explains the differences in egg washing procedures before the product arrives at the grocery. But that’s not the only difference between how eggs are handled in the US and the UK.

Due to the different washing philosophies, the U.S. and UK also have different storage procedures. If you've ever bought eggs in Europe, you might have noticed that eggs are not refrigerated in the supermarket. In the U.S., however, eggs are always kept in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. The different methods stem from the different washing methods, and more specifically, the potential for moisture on the egg. In the UK, there is the worry that refrigerating eggs before consumers take them home will lead to a change of temperature drastic enough during transportation to cause moisture to collect. If eggs sweat when moved from a cold fridge to a warm car, for example, unnecessary bacteria could form.

Then there’s the matter of salmonella, which isn’t much of a problem in Britain. Read all about it, which may or may not explain the difference in how eggs taste on either side of the pond.