There has been A LOT of egg talk lately. The price of eggs, egg shortages, and a hot debate on twitter about whether they should be refrigerated or can be left at room temp.
Most countries don’t refrigerate their eggs. But here in the US, they are considered a perishable item and therefore have to be refrigerated.
It all comes down to what is done with the eggs when they are first taken from the chickens. In other countries they are taken as is, but in the U.S. they are immediately washed to prevent salmonella and other diseases. But this processes removes the natural protective layer of the egg shell. In the countries that do not was the eggs they claim that vaccinating the chickens prevents those diseases.
There is a benefit to refrigerating them though. At room temp they can last about 21 days, but there is a benefit to keeping them in the refrigerator as they can last closer to 50 days when cold.