Storage Tips: How Long Do Eggs Last? | Incredible Egg (2024)

FAQs

Storage Tips: How Long Do Eggs Last? | Incredible Egg? ›

Information. Eggs may be refrigerated three to five weeks from the day they are placed in the refrigerator. The "Sell-By" date will usually expire during that length of time, but the eggs will be perfectly safe to use. Always purchase eggs before the "Sell-By" or EXP (expiration) date on the carton.

Information. Eggs may be refrigerated three to five weeks from the day they are placed in the refrigerator. The "Sell-By" date will usually expire during that length of time, but the eggs will be perfectly safe to use. Always purchase eggs before the "Sell-By" or EXP (expiration) date on the carton.

How Long Do Eggs Stay Fresh? Per the FDA, for the best quality, you should use eggs within three weeks of their purchase date. Donovan, however, gives a slightly longer shelf life—six weeks in the fridge for farm-fresh eggs, and four weeks in the fridge for eggs from a grocery store.

Keep eggs facing upside-down in the carton.

That's because there's a naturally occurring air bubble inside each egg's rounded side, which helps keep the yolk more centered inside the egg and, in turn, will help your eggs stay fresh longer.

Fresh eggs can be kept for 3–5 weeks in the fridge or about 1 year in the freezer. Store them in the original carton away from the door of the fridge to preserve quality.

On those egg cartons, if an expiration date appears, it can be no more than 30 days after the pack date. "As long as they're kept properly refrigerated at 40°F or lower, fresh eggs are safe to eat four to five weeks beyond the carton's Julian date," Maloberti says.

This is not a myth; fresh eggs sink while bad eggs float to the top. Simply fill a bowl with cold tap water and place your eggs in it. If they sink to the bottom and lay flat on one side, they are fresh and good to eat. A bad egg will float because of the large air cell that forms at its base.

Eggs have small pores which harmful bacteria can enter. Even shells that appear clean can carry germs. Even so, eggs do not need to be washed. If not washed, they can keep without spoiling for weeks without refrigeration.

In the refrigerator, unwashed eggs will still last longer than washed eggs, and also longer than they would at room temperature (about 7 times longer to be precise). So if you can avoid washing your eggs, it's the preferred method, but it's not the end of the world if you have to rinse off some of the eggs.

Thermostabilized eggs stored around 65°F will last for about 2 weeks and stored at 34°F they will last for up to 8 months. Thermostabilizing and oiling fresh eggs are often combined to make their storage life even longer. The two processes can be combined by heating up oil instead of water to dip the eggs into.

Is it better to keep eggs in the fridge or on the counter? ›

Refrigerate eggs to keep them fresher, longer.

While plenty of Americans with small-scale farms or chicken coops at home leave their eggs out on their counter, the FDA recommends always keeping your eggs refrigerated.

Refrigerator Storage: Refrigerate eggs at 40°F or less. Store them in their original carton on an inside shelf and away from pungent foods.

Toss or Eat: What To Do if Your Eggs Have a Crack on It

If you got unlucky at the grocery store and brought home a cracked egg or two, toss (or compost) them. As the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) notes, bacteria can enter eggs through cracks on the shell over time.

Processing eggs in Europe

One, various countries in Europe vaccinate chickens against salmonella beforehand. In addition, eggs are not washed like they are in the United States, so the cuticle is left on the shell. As a result, eggs can be stored at room temperature instead of needing to be refrigerated.

Commercially sold eggs in America go through a washing and sanitizing process that clears contaminants, but also removes the natural protections that eggs have against bacteria. Because of this, eggs are refrigerated during processing and must remain chilled in order to reduce the risk of salmonella contamination.

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However, in many cases eggs can still be safely consumed beyond that date if they aren't spoiled. Eggs can last up to five weeks after they were packed, when stored in proper refrigerator conditions, according to The American Egg Board.

A general rule, unwashed eggs will last around two weeks unrefrigerated and about three months or more in your refrigerator. If you're experiencing an egg boom, it's smart to refrigerate any unwashed fresh eggs you aren't planning to eat immediately. This will help them last longer.

The water test for egg freshness

First, fill a bowl or glass with about four inches of cold water and gently place your egg(s) inside. Very fresh eggs will sink to the bottom and lay on their sides. If an egg stays at the bottom but stands on its small end, it's still acceptable to eat; just not quite as fresh.

"Sell-by" dates on cartons with the USDA grade shield are not allowed to be longer than 30 days from the pack date. "Like most foods, egg expiration dates are usually based on food quality (taste, smell, look) and less on food safety (will they make you sick)," says Craig.

Scrambled eggs or cooked eggs that have been made into egg salad or a quiche should be refrigerated and eaten within 3 to 4 days. Hard-boiled eggs will last for a full week if stored unpeeled in the fridge.