A plastic container lidded for airtightness might seem like the most suffocating place for any food item to be, and such categorization, i think, has everything to do with the feeling we get whenever we have our faces trapped under a thin layer of flexible plastic. Children know best!
But a plastic container isn’t exactly the worst place to ever store an egg, and if anything, it’s the exact opposite — one of the best places you can ever keep them!
Eggs can be safely stored in a plastic container without any risk of damage, deterioration or loss in quality overtime. That’s because the airtight environment of the plastic container offers the porous shells of the eggs some decent degree of protection against moisture transmission, and also against bacterial contamination.
The benefit of storing eggs in containers including plastic
Storing eggs in containers (including plastic) is super beneficial. It seals the eggs under a tight lid, which isn’t bad in anyway, but rather, helps to combat bacterial contamination which can occur through pores on the shell as well as slowdown the rate of the inevitable moisture transmission over time.
Didn’t get it? Let’s dive in a bit more. Perhaps you will!
You see, eggs, when they’re made by our cute little angels (hens), are coated with a silky substance that serves to protect them from one of the biggest detriments of the outside world – bacteria.
This protective barriers is technically known as the ‘cuticle’ and it also helps regulate moisture transmission for a long time (before it wears down) which will prevent the eggs from drying up too fast.
But all the outlined benefits of the so called cuticle on shells is only reapable when the egg in question has it lingering on the surface, for example, the fresh clutch of eggs you recently retrieved from the backyard hens.
On commercial eggs, these barriers may or may not be present when you bring them back home from the stores. And that’s often because some regions require commercial eggs to be washed thoroughly in order to meet up to safety standards.
So now, whenever you bring back these kind of egg, depending on the region where you live, you’re not completely sure whether or not they still have this cuticle layer on them, it’s only safe that you want to take all necessary precautions to ensure the eggs are safe from bacterial contamination as well as from too fast moisture transmission.
The half solution? The refrigerator!
But this doesn’t solve all the problem. It only tackles the problem of bacterial contamination because it helps slow down the rate of their breeding.
As for moisture loss, it can still happen at a decently scary rate in the refrigerator, so the need for, can you guess? Guess? A storage container. Plastic or carton!
These help to decrease the rate of moisture transmission by a decent margin, thereby keeping the eggs fresher for long.
The problem of storing eggs in a plastic container
While storing commercially bought eggs in a container is highly recommended, it still has one caveat that stands out.
And that’s the hurdle of trying to keep up with the information of which eggs are freshest and which aren’t, unless you’re super dedicated to making it a point of duty of moving aged eggs to one side of the container and newer eggs on the other.
And lord help you that you aren’t using a plastic container with symmetrical sides. Fill up the container with eggs and mix up the sides and you’re definitely screwed!
For me, i’m already used to this constraint now even though my baking hates it.
What kind of plastic container can you store eggs in?
There are special plastic containers designed for accommodating eggs in the fridge with different capacity. These are perfectly proportioned to maximize spaces and they are recommended to be used instead of bulky Tupperware’s or other plastic storage containers.
How to store eggs in a plastic container
When storing eggs in a plastic container, make sure to invert them with the right side down and store at the far end in the middle of the fridge cabinet.
This helps create internal balance of the yolk (by bringing it to the center), and thus creates a perfect soft or hard boiled egg. It also helps to further reduce moisture transmission.
Additionally, if you’re the type that finds it a necessary to distinguish between fresh and old eggs, may be because of baking and other things, then you’re in for a struggle, but for a fair solution, i would recommend that you always keep count of the number of old eggs and ensure to shift them to one side of the container labelled or marked with old, and then keep fresher ones towards the other end.
Alternative container or places for storing eggs
Aside storing store bought eggs in plastic containers, you can also store them inside their cartons. These work well too. Alternatively, you can slot them in the egg casing provided for them by your refrigerator.
But eggs kept there usually do not last as long as those store inside containers due to temperature fluctuation from opening and closing of the door, thinning of the whites due to constant shaking of the eggs whenever the fridge door is opened, and moisture transmission cause by the dry environment of the fridge.
Alternatively, when you’re sure that the eggs haven’t been washed during any stage of their farm to table journey, then you can go ahead and keep them at room temperature on the counter, in their casing. These are just as good as plastic stored eggs because now they have their cuticle on!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you put pickled eggs in a plastic container?
Can you store eggs in Tupperware?
Eggs are perfectly safe to put in Tupperware without any risk of deterioration cause by bacterial contamination. Tupperware’s helps to seal in air which phelp keep eggs fresher for longer.
Can you store eggs in an air tight container?
Yes, commercial eggs are recommended to be stored in an airtight container to prevent moisture loss which can cause the egg to go dry quickly. For this purpose Tupperware’s can be used.
What is the best way to store eggs?
The best way to store eggs is at the back of the middle cabinet of the fridge in a plastic egg casing or in their original carton container. For fresh eggs, the best place to store them is outside at room temperature in their original casing.
Final Verdict
Eggs are perfectly safe to store in a plastic container. They keep the best when they are inverted with right side down and stored at the back of the fridge in the middle of the cabinet. That’s where most fridges have their coldest spot and most stable temperature.
When next you’re worried about your eggs suffocating, know the distinction: Your nose is wide and suffers from the slightest blockage it would encounter, eggs on the other hand have numerous tiny pores scattered all over their shells, and these prefer breathing in super tight confinements than in any wide open space!