Ever heard another Gringo ask why Mexico does not refrigerate eggs or has it crossed your mind. It crossed mine but I think I accepted it as just the way it's done here and people don't get sick. There's not much that doesn't get me searching the Internet if I don't understand but this one just didn't catch my attention. To my surprise I run across this article that generally explains the views of the rest of the world. It seems the the USofA is one of the few countries that does refrigerate. I assume Mexico follows the principles of the rest of the world.
Partial article excerpt ....
The U.S. is one of the only countries on Earth that keeps chicken eggs in cold storage. But why?
In an elaborate automated process involving in-line conveyor belts, massive egg-scrubbing machinery, high-volume air-filtration systems and – last but not least – chlorine misters, American eggs are washed, rinsed, dried, and sanitized in an effort to remove as much dirt, poop and bacteria as possible, all while leaving the shells intact.
Or rather, almost intact. When a hen lays an egg, she coats it in a layer of liquid called the cuticle. It dries in just a few minutes, and is incredibly effective at protecting the egg from contamination, providing what European egg marketing regulations describe as "an effective barrier to bacterial ingress with an array of antimicrobial properties." America's egg-washing systems strip eggs of this natural protection. "Such damage," the EU guidelines note, "may favour 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."
Americans – why do you keep refrigerating your eggs?
