[at-l] ovum

[Kent Gardam]

Well, according to the Georgia Egg Commission, Felix, if you have any ancient Chinese blood in you, and are in the habit of storing your eggs immersed in salt and wood ash mixed with a tea infusion, you should be good to go for a number of years:
   
  PRESERVATION Refrigeration, drying or freezing are the best ways to preseve egg quality. Fresh eggs are so readily available that long storage periods are rarely necessary. However, centuries before modern methods of production, transportation and refrigeration became known, man did his ingenious best to preserve the egg intact.
  The ancient Chinese stored eggs up to several years by immersion in a variety of such imaginative mixtures as salt and wet clay; cooked rice, salt and lime; or salt and wood ashes mixed with a tea infusion. Although the Chinese ate them with no ill effects of which we are aware, the eggs thus treated bore little similarity to fresh eggs, some exhibiting greenish-gray yolks and albumen resembling brown jelly.
  Immersion in different liquids too numerous to mention was explored, lime water being a favorite in the 18th century. During the early 20th century, water glass was used with considerable success. Water glass, a bacteria-resistant solution of sodium silicate, discouraged the entrance of spoilage organisms and evaporation of water from eggs. It did not penetrate the egg shell, imparted no odor or taste to the eggs and was considered to have somewhat antiseptic properties. However, it did a rather poor job at relatively high storage temperatures. Eggs preserved in a water glass solution and stored in it cool place keep 8 to 9 months.
  Dry packing in various substances ranging from bran to wood ashes was used occasionally, but costs of transporting the excess weight of the packing material far exceeded the dubious advantages.
  In an attempt to seal the shell pores to prevent loss of moisture and carbon dioxide, a great variety of materials including cactus juice, soap and shellac were investigated with varying degrees of success. The only coating considered fairly efficient was oil which is still used today.
  Thermostabilization, immersion of the egg for a short time in boiling water to coagulate a thin film of albumen immediately beneath the shell membrane, was rather extensively practiced by housewives of the late 19th century. Mild heating destroyed spoilage organisms but did not cook the eggs. If kept in a cool place, thermostabilized eggs coated with oil keep several months although some mold growth may take place.
  During the first half of the 20th century, storing eggs in refrigerated warehouses was a common practice. Preservation was later improved with the introduction of carbon dioxide into the cold storage atmosphere. Today, very few, if any, cold storage eggs find their way to the retail market.
   
   
  

Felix J <athiker at smithville.net> wrote:
  So...if you have a carton of eggs...and, on the end of the carton there 
is an ink stamp that says "sell by 6/10"...when should the eggs be 
eaten/used by?

-- 
Felix J. McGillicuddy
ME-->GA '98
"Your Move"
ALT '03 KT '03
http://Felixhikes.tripod.com/




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