Don't put your eggs in the fridge door! Experts say they're best in their box on the middle shelf

It is a question that provokes fierce debate but experts think they have finally cracked the perfect place to store eggs.

And while those who advocate fridge over cupboard will doubtless feel vindicated, they may want to think twice before popping them in that rack on the door.

According to Good Housekeeping, eggs should be kept in their original box on the middle shelf to prevent temperature changes and contamination.

Sara Benwell, consumer editor for the magazine, wrote: ‘Not only is the door the warmest part of the fridge, it’s also the most susceptible to temperature fluctuations. 

'Eggs are best when stored at a consistent temperature, so we recommend keeping them in the fridge on the middle shelf.’

The British Egg Information Service advises that for ‘optimum safety’ eggs need to be stored in boxes at a consistent temperature below 20C (68F) away from strong-smelling food as eggs easily absorb odours.

It says: ‘Try to avoid moving them too often between very cold and very warm temperatures such as between a hot car and fridge, or fridge and hot kitchen.

‘Best practice is to store eggs in the fridge - that way the temperature is always at a constant and your eggs will be fresher.’

While Good Housekeeping admits eggs are not refrigerated in supermarkets, it maintains this is because most stores have an average temperature below 20C.

Two experts at Bristol University’s School of Veterinary Sciences, Dr Rosamund Baird and Dr Janet Corry, agree that storing eggs in the fridge is the safest way to combat the risk of salmonella as this prevents it from multiplying.

It is advice likely to be endorsed by celebrity cooks Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson, who have both spoken of the advantages of keeping eggs cool.

Both say that while keeping them in the fridge is not necessary, it does help keep a batch fresher for longer.

But for those who have the time, Miss Lawson does recommend leaving the eggs to warm up for an hour before cooking them. Michelin-starred chef Raymond Blanc comes down firmly on the other side of the debate, however.

He has criticised the way ‘people have got into the habit of refrigerating absolutely everything when often there is no need.’

And Financial Times restaurant critic Tim Hayward argues that eggs should be stored on the kitchen counter.

He wrote: ‘A fresh, free-range egg should last beautifully at room temperature for at least a week. The racks in the fridge door are the worst place to store eggs. The constant shaking thins the whites and the flavours of other foods can penetrate the shell.’

In 2013, the Daily Mail attempted to put an end to this debate once and for all.

We commissioned the Yorkshire-based FoodTest Laboratories to compare the effects of keeping Lion-branded British eggs out of the fridge for two weeks and within. 

And its conclusion? There was no difference between the two batches whatsover. 

[UK Dailymail]