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In the US eggs sold retail are required to be pressure washed. This removes the waxy coating that makes the egg airtight. So in the US eggs absolutely do need t

In the US eggs sold retail are required to be pressure washed. This removes the waxy coating that makes the egg airtight. So in the US eggs absolutely do need to go in the fridge, unless you have your own chickens or such. At room temp they'll spoil within about 2 days. It depends on the fruit but many of them will last longer in the fridge. Same goes for cured meat and jams. Especially with jam you may not eat it often enough to stop it from molding at room temps. I get making fun of stupid American habits is an EU pastime, but this is some pretty dumb stereotyping. There's rational reasons behind what most people are doing, even if it's a little different from the habits where you live.

omginternets 6y ago
>but this is some pretty dumb stereotyping It's hardly stereotyping. By your own admission, its representative of the norm. But your explanation is well-taken. Nevertheless, it speaks to the greater point: people (especially in the US) have become disconnected from their foods. Much of this appears to be structural, as you have pointed out.
- jasonwatkinspdx 6y ago
  It's easy to overgeneralize. If you want to believe that everyone is disconnected from food, you'll find confirmation of that. If instead you point to the farm to table movement, and the huge popularity of authentic/artisanal foods among anyone in the US with disposable income, and you'd come to the opposite conclusion. Both are painting with too broad a brush.
ajnin 6y ago
> In the US eggs sold retail are required to be pressure washed. That's interesting. In France it is actually illegal to sell washed eggs. As a result they can be kept easily a month without refrigeration. I wonder why there is such a different practice.
- jasonwatkinspdx 6y ago
  The biggest difference between US and EU chicken production is use, or not use of, vaccines and antibiotics to control salmonella. The US approach is, for better or worse, to use regulation of the slaughterhouse to control such pathogens, vs inoculation. The situation with eggs is similar. The French approach results in cleaner but more expensive eggs. I'd prefer that personally, but there is a logic behind the US regulatory approach that shouldn't just be dismissed without thought.

omginternets 6y ago

>but this is some pretty dumb stereotyping It's hardly stereotyping. By your own admission, its representative of the norm. But your explanation is well-taken. Nevertheless, it speaks to the greater point: people (especially in the US) have become disconnected from their foods. Much of this appears to be structural, as you have pointed out.

jasonwatkinspdx 6y ago
It's easy to overgeneralize. If you want to believe that everyone is disconnected from food, you'll find confirmation of that. If instead you point to the farm to table movement, and the huge popularity of authentic/artisanal foods among anyone in the US with disposable income, and you'd come to the opposite conclusion. Both are painting with too broad a brush.

ajnin 6y ago

> In the US eggs sold retail are required to be pressure washed. That's interesting. In France it is actually illegal to sell washed eggs. As a result they can be kept easily a month without refrigeration. I wonder why there is such a different practice.

jasonwatkinspdx 6y ago
The biggest difference between US and EU chicken production is use, or not use of, vaccines and antibiotics to control salmonella. The US approach is, for better or worse, to use regulation of the slaughterhouse to control such pathogens, vs inoculation. The situation with eggs is similar. The French approach results in cleaner but more expensive eggs. I'd prefer that personally, but there is a logic behind the US regulatory approach that shouldn't just be dismissed without thought.