Pantry vs. fridge: Where should you be keeping your eggs?

Like an egg gently boiling in a simmering pot, supermarket giant Coles have found themselves in hot water this week, with customers concerned about the way they store their eggs.

Coles keeps their cartons on the shelf rather than in the refrigerator, which has some consumers worried about an increased risks of salmonella.

The fear might not be unfounded either, a number of eggs-perts have warned that cases of the food-borne illness are on the rise in Australia and with the mercury also on the up, the company should perhaps heed calls to cool things down.

According the Department of Health, the number of recorded salmonella cases has doubled in ten years, with up to 40% linked to contaminated eggs.

Many Aussie households choose to store their eggs in the pantry rather than the fridge and until now, most thought nothing of it.

I mean is it any different than those weirdos who keep their Vegemite in the fridge or the butter on the bench?

Well yes, according to Professor Peter Collignon, an infectious diseases expert at Australian National University.

He warns that eggs should be treated like raw meat or dairy.

“I’m always surprised by the lack of anxiety about this,” he told Fairfax. “We ought to make the product safer, and we do that by refrigerating it, even at the supermarket.”

Coles have been quick to defend their practice though, assuring customers on Twitter that they follow the guidelines laid out by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ).

According to FSANZ the frequency of salmonella-contaminated eggs in Australia is still quite low, but there is an increased risk if your eggs are eaten raw or lightly-cooked.

Apparently contamination mainly occurs when the eggs are laid or soon after, but they advise against eating eggs that are cracked or dirty.

They also say they cooking eggs properly significantly reduces the risk of Salmonella.

So there you have it, if keep your eggs cool, clean and cook them well, you should be just swell.

Now, we just have one more important egg related question: What came first, the chicken or the egg?