Vending machine eggs

Not a question of great importance, but just to satisfy my curiosity, I'd appreciate it if anyone knows:

While driving, I saw in 2 different locations, on the side of the road, some free standing vending type machines that sell what appears to be raw eggs for 300 yen for each bunch and the sign on one of them said something like "おみたてたまご"(since I was driving I couldn't be sure I read it correctly but I think that is what it said). I googled the meaning and it says "freshly prepared eggs". Are there regulations on how fresh they must be? Would it have a date on the eggs? I assume they must be more fresh than those sold at supermarkets, but I'm wondering by how many more days. If anyone has ever tried them, would you say the taste is of a higher quality, or not that much difference? Thanks!

Probably it was うみたてたまご, meaning eggs just laid, so fresh from the farm. I would say the eggs must have been from the same day.

Egg vending machines are a thing and yes, they are fresh. You couldn't sell eggs that were not fresh or beyond a use-by date, just like those in stores or other outlets (like the ones you buy at a combini(.

Freshly laid eggs of the day are commonly sold through vending machines in remote areas. If you try going to its farm or the nearest grocery store, you'd know why: They're both extremely far away from that spot.

The eggs are usually worth the price, in terms of being tasty. If you're going home at the end of that day, or at least going to your countryside home or camping site, then it would be a great treat for your next breakfast.

I'm not a food expert, but I've heard from experts that there are indeed regulations on how fresh certain foods are "recommended to be", and retailors owe the duty to print that date on the packages.

And did I say they're tasty? Yes. But the word is subjective. You may prefer other eggs you get from regular supermarkets. Moreover, other countries may offer tastier eggs than the Japanese ones. But like I said, the vending machines are placed where there are more tourist attractions and less grocery shops. It may be easy to buy fancy bread there, but not really raw eggs fresh from the farm. Plus, you can quickly park your car for a second to buy from the machine, whereas if you go to a Michi-no-Eki farmer's market, you need to find a parking space, walk way into the huge establishment, and then queue at the cashier.

So, it's up to you, but worth a try if you have a place to cook eggs or want to eat them raw. Have I bought them? Yes, I used to buy them every time our family was visiting our countryside home. After a few years, I stopped cooking there.

I hope it helps.

Not really answering your question just something interesting to know. Eggs don't spoil very easily. Grocery stores/ Farmers probably repackage eggs past their "sell by date' and reshelf them. Uncooked refrigerated eggs can safely be stored for 3 - 5 weeks, but I have seen other sources indicating that they could be good up to 90 days before spoiling. To check if an egg is still good place in a bowl of water if the egg sinks to the bottom it is good if it floats or stands on end that is an indication that gas has built up inside the egg and it has gone bad.

PatrickSF is correct. Eggs do not spoil easily. Store-bought eggs have been washed, which is why they have an expiry date and must be refrigerated. Unwashed eggs are protected by a natural coating called a cuticle. They can last months even unrefrigerated when they are unwashed -- even longer in the fridge.

I volunteered at a biodiversity research station in the Peruvian Amazon, and the eggs were never kept in the fridge, always in the pantry. We only washed them when we used them. Another time, I kept unwashed eggs in the fridge for 5 months once (we had to sell our chickens, so we stock-piled eggs for the winter instead of selling them).

When buying fresh farm eggs, make sure to wash them before cracking them, just in case! Otherwise, there is a risk of salmonella contamination. I believe most farmers will wash them (at least in North America), but some might not.