UK supermarket eggs come with a best-before date of 28 days from the day they were laid, but improper home storage can lead to early spoilage.
While there are numerous methods to extend the freshness of eggs past their best-before date, one lesser-known technique has been shared by sailors who need to keep eggs fresh for long voyages.
An online Cruisers Forum user by the name ‘RaymondR’ revealed an unconventional pantry item for egg preservation: “Vaseline, I have tried this one and it appears to work.” He elaborated on his experience: “I coated eggs with Vaseline and left them for about three months and when I cracked them and made scrambled eggs, they looked perfectly edible.”
This old method isn’t common today, yet yacht specialist Michael Harpur also discussed this unique approach on Eoceanic, a resource for sailing aficionados, reports the Express.
Michael explained the science behind it: “Eggs go off when they get oxidised i.e. air penetrates the protective shell. The petroleum jelly adds another protective coat to prevent this whilst also preventing evaporation.”
He further noted: “Eggs coated in petroleum jelly will keep for months on end but will eventually develop an off-flavour after a few months.”
The yacht enthusiast shared a straightforward tip for keeping eggs fresh on long sea journeys, explaining: “We found turning eggs met the extended life requirements we needed during our circumnavigation. We did Vaseline our egg store once but found it was not worth the trouble nor the mess involved.”
Michael went on to say that developments in egg storage technology, like plastic egg cases, have made the task much easier.
These innovative cases can hold up to 15 eggs and allow them to be turned over easily with just one flip, making them also handy for transport.
He pointed out: “They are very useful for protecting the eggs whilst they are being transported to the boat, and also if you want to put something on top of them when in storage.”
In line with the Food Standards Agency’s official advice, whole eggs should be kept in a “cool dry place”, ideally in the refrigerator, to ensure they remain at a steady cool temperature and stay “safe”.