Eggs Should Not Be Stored on Their Side: Egg Facts You Don't Know
Introduction: Eggs are highly nutritious and an essential food in daily life. However, many people have misconceptions about eating eggs. In recent years, nutritionists have proposed new scientific perspectives on egg consumption, which provide guidance for the public on how to eat eggs correctly.
I. Eggs Should Not Be Stored on Their Side:
The protein of a fresh egg is thick and can effectively hold the yolk in the center. Over time, especially when the external temperature is high, the protein loses some of its moisture under the action of protease, losing its ability to fix the yolk. If the egg is then stored on its side, the yolk, being lighter than the albumen, will float up and stick to the inner shell, becoming a "sticky-shell egg." Therefore, eggs should not be stored on their side.
Tips for Storing Eggs:
1. Eggs bought from the store must be stored in the refrigerator.
When placing them, make sure the larger end is up and the smaller end is down. This allows the yolk to float up and rest under the air cell, which prevents microbes from entering the yolk and helps maintain the egg's quality.
2. Eggs should not be transported or stored with volatile substances.
Because the strong odors of substances like onions, ginger, and chili can penetrate the eggshell through its pores and accelerate spoilage.
3. Fresh eggs taken from the refrigerator should be consumed as soon as possible and should not be left at room temperature or re-refrigerated.
This is because after being taken out of the refrigerator, the egg may "sweat" at room temperature. Bacteria and microbes in the resulting moisture can quickly penetrate the eggshell and reach the inner egg content. Therefore, the egg is no longer fresh and should be eaten immediately.
4. Do not wash eggs before storing them.
Some people wash dirty eggshells before storing them to avoid contaminating other foods. However, washing can destroy the natural cuticle on the eggshell, allowing bacteria and microbes to enter the egg and accelerate spoilage. You can wrap the eggs in plastic wrap or a bag before storing them to prevent contamination.
5. Provide separate storage space for each egg.
When refrigeration is not available, try to make individual indentations for each egg using clean paper or cloth. This gives each egg its own space and prevents direct exposure to the air. This reduces the chance of bacterial and microbial contamination and can extend the storage life of the eggs.
II. Middle-aged and Elderly People Should Not Fear Egg Yolks:
The traditional view is that egg yolks are high in cholesterol and are the primary cause of hypertension, atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, and stroke. Therefore, many people, especially middle-aged and older adults, avoid eating egg yolks.
Recently, Dr. Florence, an American nutritionist, led a research group to study the relationship between eggs and cholesterol. They conducted a six-month trial with 116 men aged 50 to 65. They first recorded the cholesterol levels of each participant. Then, for three months, they were put on a diet with no egg products, and their cholesterol levels were measured again. In the following three months, two eggs were added to each person's daily diet. After 90 days, another measurement was taken. The results were surprising: the participants' cholesterol levels were not affected by the dietary cholesterol from eggs. This finding has garnered attention from the global medical community. Given that eggs are rich in protein, fat, vitamins A, B2, B6, D, iron, calcium, phosphorus, and other nutrients, experts believe that it is beneficial for the elderly to eat one to two eggs (including the yolk) daily, of course, without overconsumption.
III. "Wang Eggs" (Unhatched Chick Eggs) Should Not Be Eaten:
"Wang eggs" are eggs that were being incubated to hatch into chicks but stopped developing due to improper temperature or bacterial infection, causing the embryo to die inside the egg. Some people believe these dead chick eggs are highly nutritious and can cure various diseases, but this has no scientific basis. The protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals in these eggs have already changed, with most of the nutrients having been used and consumed by the embryo, leaving very little remaining. Tests have shown that nearly 100% of these dead chick eggs contain harmful bacteria such as E. coli, Staphylococcus, Salmonella typhi, and Proteus. Consuming these eggs can lead to food poisoning, dysentery, typhoid fever, hepatitis, and other diseases.
IV. Eggs Must Not Be Dyed with Mercurochrome:
In China, it is a folk custom to dye eggs red with mercurochrome to celebrate happy occasions. Mercurochrome is an external antiseptic and is not for internal use because it contains toxic mercury. When eggs are boiled with mercurochrome, the mercury can penetrate the numerous microscopic pores on the eggshell's surface, pass through the inner membrane, and enter the albumen and yolk, causing poisoning when consumed. For festive occasions, only food-grade red dye should be used to color eggs.
V. Waterfowl Eggs Should Not Be Used for Cakes:
When waterfowl swim in water, Salmonella bacteria from ponds can enter the cloaca at any time. The cloaca is an ideal environment for microbial growth. From there, Salmonella can travel along the oviduct to the ovary. During the various stages of yolk and albumen secretion and shell formation, the egg can easily become contaminated with Salmonella. Therefore, if waterfowl eggs are used as an ingredient for cakes, people who eat them may suffer from Salmonella poisoning, which can range from mild symptoms like headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea to severe cases of convulsions and coma.