Always! Room temperature whites will relax much more readily than cold ones. Think about how your muscles feel when asked to do something when it's really cold outside. It is the same with egg whites, which are mostly protein - and a tough, strong one at that.
I prefer to have my eggs at room temperature. I think they achieve greater volume when beaten. I have absolutely no scientific evidence to support this, though!
"Temperature also impacts the development of egg white foam, which reaches its greatest volume if beaten closer to room temperature than refrigerated temperature."
http://www.aeb.org/food-manufacturers/functional-properties/39-functional-properties/207-aeration-foaming-structure
4 Comments
"Temperature also impacts the development of egg white foam, which reaches its greatest volume if beaten closer to room temperature than refrigerated temperature."
http://www.aeb.org/food-manufacturers/functional-properties/39-functional-properties/207-aeration-foaming-structure