preserving fresh eggs for the trail

[kohburn]

did a search but didn't find it so here it goes.

a little bit of history i learned that could be very handy for hikers.



Sodium Silicate solution
chemical formula: Na2O-2SiO2
( liquid )
Sodium Silicate, also known as 'Water Glass' or 'Liquid Glass', is a compound used in cements, passive fire protection, refractories, textile and lumber processing. Sodium Silicate was also used as an egg preservation agent in the early 20th Century with large success. When fresh eggs are immersed in it, bacteria which cause the eggs to spoil are kept out and water is kept in. Eggs can be kept fresh using this method for up to nine months. When boiling eggs preserved this way, it is well advised to pin-prick the egg to allow steam to escape because the shell is no longer porous.


and if you want to read an artical where they tested both storebought unfertilized vs fertilized fresh eggs using different methods including refrigeration then check out this http://www.motherearthnews.com/Livestock-and-Farming/1977-11-01/Can-You-Really-Store-Fresh-Eggs-a-Year-or-More-Without-Refrigeration.aspx

for a summary..



[1] Unwashed, fertile homestead eggs seem to store much better than washed, unfertile agribiz eggs. Why? Probably for the simple reason that they're unwashed ... and not because they're fertile. Hen fruit, as it comes from the chicken, is coated with a light layer of a natural sealing agent called "bloom". And, while a good wash may make a batch of eggs look more attractive, it also removes this natural protective coating ... leaving the eggs more subject to aging and attack by the air and bacteria in the air.

[2] The very best way we've found to stash eggs away for long-term storage is in a sealed container at a temperature of 35° to 40°F. Their whites may become somewhat runny looking over a period of time, buteven after seven months—the cackleberries stored in this manner smell good, taste good, have a good texture, and—in short—seem "almost fresh".

[3] The widely touted idea of covering eggs with a solution of one part waterglass (sodium silicate) mixed with nine parts of boiled and cooled water does indeed seem to work better than any other "room temperature" preservation method we tried. If our experiences are any indication, though, it's really good for only about five months and is a distant second to controlled refrigeration.


but thats 5 MONTHS... so hiking with eggs for a couple of weeks should be no problem.

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

He-Dino likes his omelets so the Dinos often have a dozen eggs with them.... we have never had a single egg go bad in the four days it takes to eat a dozen eggs.

[kohburn]

yeah 4 days is nothin for an egg

[kohburn]

according to the tests in that artical the fertilized eggs were good for about 90 days at room temp

[kohburn]

er. edible maybe not good (wish i could go back and edit the posts)

[Ron Haven]

yeah 4 days is nothin for an eggThis is a little off the question but carrying eggs inside those lite weight plasic easter eggs is a good way to keep from breaking them in your pack.

[CoyoteWhips]

I believe after washing the eggs, distributors then recoat them with a vegetable oil to seal them again. Not as good as the natural coating, but it still extends the shelf life considerably.

I think, in most cases, preserving your food until the day before your next resupply is normally good enough, isn't it?

Is sodium silicate the same stuff they put in those little "do no eat" bags as a desiccant?

[Grinder]

sailors either wax or grease their eggs. This allows unrefrigerated storage for a trans atlantic sailboat crossing taking around 4 to 6 weeks.

I kind of recall there being occasional spoilage of an egg here and there towards the end.

I keep eggs in the refrigerator for week and weeks, probably up to months sometimes. I can only recall one rotten egg emerge from the shell in 20 years.

Hiking would pose a much higher risk of breakage, I would think

Tomas

[Doughnut]

This is a little off the question but carrying eggs inside those lite weight plasic easter eggs is a good way to keep from breaking them in your pack.

You mean the colored plastic things you hide for kids under bushes? I am contemplating the half dozen yellow Coleman Egg Crate at Walmart and Target, etc.. Any Experience?

If it is the former, I assume you place the whole egg inside the plastic sleeve??

Thanks

Dough Nut

[envirodiver]

I have one of the yellow plastic 1/2 dz. carriers. It seems to work well, just be advised that it only seems to accept the small sized eggs.

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

We have one similar to this (http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=13530) that will accept eggs up to large. Unsure who made it - I've had it for at least 25 years.

[Doughnut]

I didn't realize eggs have been around that long, and certainly not plastic!! LOL

Thanks, Dino, That's what I was looking at.

[STEVEM]

I believe you can test your eggs for freshness by putting them in a container of water. If they sink and lay on their sides, they're fresh. If they sink with one end pointing up they're starting to go bad, but are still edible. If they float they're no good and should not be eaten.

I think the theory is that as a egg spoils gases accumulate within the shell causing it to float.

I'm sure someone with more culinary knowledge than I can verify if this is correct.

[Dakota Dan]

Boiled/fried Eggs was my staple diet back in 76. Would be today. A boiled egg will last a week with no problem. I only had a few times they went that long without being ate. They are the best nutrition for me.

[Sissygirl]

Awesome idea about the eggs. I was wondering how to transport.

[gaga]

just take along a chicken,freshest eggs you`l ever eat,you can eat it whenever ,and then you wander: which came first to be ;)

[mrc237]

In a previous tread on this topic it was suggested that if you boil an egg for 5 seconds it will last along time. I've carried eggs many times in the yellow carrier FD showed.