Viral videos often show people scrubbing eggs with soap and water before refrigerating them, leaving many wondering if they have been storing eggs incorrectly for years. It seems like washing them would make them cleaner and safer, but for most grocery-store eggs, the opposite is actually true. Food safety experts say that washing commercially sold eggs at home is unnecessary and may even increase the risk of bacteria entering the egg.
Eggshells may look solid, but they contain thousands of tiny microscopic pores. Freshly laid eggs are naturally coated with a thin protective layer known as the bloom, or cuticle. This invisible barrier helps seal the pores and prevents bacteria and moisture from passing through the shell.
In the United States and Canada, commercial egg producers wash and sanitize eggs before they reach stores. While this cleaning process removes dirt and contaminants, it also removes the natural bloom. Because the protective coating is gone, these eggs must be refrigerated throughout storage and transportation to remain safe.
Many European countries follow a different approach. Instead of washing eggs before sale, they leave the bloom intact. Since the natural protective layer remains in place, eggs can often be stored safely at room temperature for a period of time, provided they have been handled properly.
