Our non-eggcellent regulations

Germany, Italy, Poland and Sweden are among the nations the U.S. Department of Agriculture approached to address the shortage brought on by a bird flu outbreak, according to European industry groups.

But supplying Americans with eggs would be complicated for foreign producers — but not because of political tensions over the myriad import tariffs President Donald Trump has imposed or threatened to impose on his nation’s top trading partners.

Even if they were eager to share, European countries don’t have many surplus eggs because of their own avian flu outbreaks and the growing domestic demand ahead of Easter.

One of the biggest obstacles, however, is the approach the United States takes to preventing salmonella contamination. U.S. food safety regulations require fresh eggs to be sanitized and refrigerated before they reach shoppers; in the European Union, safety standards call for Grade A eggs to be sold unwashed and without extended chilling.

Here is the full story, via Rich Dewey.  So no, American scientists will not be moving to Europe — their eggs are too dangerous.  And yes it is Germany too:

It is common in parts of Europe, for example, for consumers to buy eggs that still have feathers and chicken poop stuck to them.

Here is Patrick Collison, comparing the virtues of America to the virtues of Europe.  I do not mind that he left out the chicken poop, for me it is a sign of authenticity.  As for eggs, the best ones I ever had were in Chile.