eli5 why can’t I leave eggs at room temperature but boiling them is ok wouldn’t boiling them speed up the spoiling
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Couple things.
In some areas it’s okay to leave eggs at room temperature. It’s just a difference in how they’re processed.
The other is about the [Danger Zone](https://youtu.be/siwpn14IE7E) where from 40F-140F/4C-60C is the temperature that allows food to spoil.
Above or bellow that, bacteria will not grow.
Boiling water at 212F/100C is above that.
Food spoils because of bacteria and other microorganisms growing on it. Cold temperatures prevent that from happening, which is why refrigerating food keeps it from spoiling for a while (and why freezing prevents it entirely).
Heat itself does not spoil food, and keeping food at a high enough temperature will also prevent it from spoiling (although it may also dry it out/burn it).
Eggs have a protective layer called the bloom. It helps prevents bacteria from entering the egg through the shell. Reproductively speaking, it keeps the developing chick safe. In the US, most eggs are washed before sale (and are not fertile), necessitating refrigeration. If they aren’t washed, they are shelf stable. I actually have a couple dozen on my counter right now. However, if you have unwashed eggs and refrigerate them, you don’t want to then leave them at room temperature. Going from cold to warm will cause the eggs to sweat (think of a glass of ice water and how sweat appears on the outside of the glass), and the sweat will break down the bloom.
Eggs don’t go bad when you boil them for the same reason cooking doesn’t cause other food to go bad. Spoiling is caused by bacteria. Cooking (including boiling) will actually kill bacteria (which is why at buffets the food is always kept hot). Same reason for refrigeration – the cool temps slow bacteria growth.
AMA. I’m obsessed with chickens and own over a dozen lol
(At least) three things happen when you boil an egg.
– It gets sterilized. Any bacteria or yeast on or in the egg is killed by heat.
– The proteins denature, unwinding into amino acid strands that entangle. This is what causes the solidification of the egg white. Denatured proteins are not the natural food of bacteria, so bacterial growth is slowed.
– The white solidifies. This slows the penetration of any bacteria that arrive after the egg has cooled to a survivable temperature.
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