There is a carton of eggs in the fridge and the sell by date was two weeks ago. Or you found eggs that were sitting out on the counter and aren’t sure if they’re still safe. Do eggs go bad?
Short answer: Yes, eggs go bad, but the dates on the carton aren’t the whole story. According to the USDA, raw peeled eggs kept refrigerated are safe for 3 to 5 weeks after purchase, even if they are past their sell by date. The float test that most people rely on doesn’t tell you what you think it tells you. And hard-boiled eggs are a completely different situation, with a much shorter shelf life than raw eggs.
For a complete overview of how perishable foods compare on shelf life, visit our complete food storage guide.
key takeaways
- Refrigerated Raw Peeled Eggs: According to the USDA, safe for 3 to 5 weeks after purchase. Often the sell by date passes.
- hard boiled eggs: Refrigerated for 1 week only. Cooking significantly reduces shelf life.
- Float Test: The floating egg is old, not automatically unsafe. Crack and smell to confirm.
- Sell ​​by date is not an expiration date. USDA-graded eggs can remain safe for 4 to 5 weeks after the Julian pack date.
- The smell test after cracking is the most reliable defect indicator. Sulfur or rotten smell means discard immediately.
- The 2 hour rule applies: Refrigerated eggs left at room temperature for more than 2 hours should be returned to the refrigerator or thrown away.
How long do eggs last?
The shelf life of eggs depends on how they have been stored and whether they are raw or cooked. The USDA has specific guidance for each situation.
| type of egg | refrigerator | freezer |
|---|---|---|
| Raw Peeled Eggs (in Carton) | 3 to 5 weeks from purchase | do not freeze in the shell |
| raw egg whites | 2 to 4 days | up to 12 months |
| raw egg yolk | 2 to 4 days | up to 12 months |
| Hard Boiled Eggs (in Shell) | 1 week | not recommended |
| Hard Boiled Eggs (Peeled) | 1 week in water or airtight container | not recommended |
| scrambled or fried eggs | 3 to 4 days | up to 3 months |
| Egg dishes (quiches, casseroles) | 3 to 4 days | up to 3 months |
Shelf life guidelines from USDA FoodKeeper App And FDA Safe Food Handling Guidance. Regardless of the date, always check eggs for spoilage before using.
Understanding the Dates on Your Egg Carton
Sell ​​By Date, Pack Date and Expiry: What They Really Mean
Most egg cartons have two or three different date codes on them, and most people misread them. Here’s what each means.
julian pack date The most important number is on the carton. This is a three-digit code printed on the small side of the carton, indicating the day of the year when the eggs were washed, graded, and packaged. January 1st is 001, December 31st is 365. Carton marked 032 means the eggs were packed on February 1. According to the USDA and the Egg Safety Center, eggs are safe to eat for 4 to 5 weeks after this pack date if kept continuously refrigerated.
sell by date Have a store management date. On cartons bearing the USDA grade logo, the sell by date cannot be more than 30 days after the pack date. This does not mean that the eggs expire on that date. This means the store should replace them by then. Eggs purchased before the sell-by date are generally safe at home for another 3 to 5 weeks.
Expiry or EXP date This is optional and not required by the federal government, although some states require it. It also does not represent any hard security cutoff. The USDA recommends purchasing eggs before the sell-by or EXP date and using them within 3 to 5 weeks of purchase.
Float Test: What It Really Tells You
The float test is one of the most commonly misunderstood tests of egg freshness. Here is the exact version.
The egg shell is porous. As the egg ages, moisture and carbon dioxide gradually escape from the shell and are replaced by air. Due to this, the air cell at the wide end inside the egg gradually becomes larger. A fresh egg has a small air cell and sinks immediately when lying flat on the bottom of the bowl. As it ages, the growing air cell gives it more buoyancy: it begins to bend upward at the broad end, then straightens downwards and eventually begins to float.
Important nuance: A floating egg is older and lower in quality, but the USDA clearly states that it may still be safe to eat. Swimming tells you that the egg contains a large air cell from age. It does not tell you whether bacteria are present or not. To find out, crack the egg in a bowl and smell it. If it smells sulfurous or rotten, discard it. If its smell is normal, it is safe to cook and eat.
| float test results | What does it mean | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| sinks, lies flat | very fresh, small air cells | use normally |
| sinks, leans upward, or stands upright | 1 to 3 weeks old, larger alveoli; Still good. Great for hard boiling (peeles more easily) | use normally |
| floating | Old, big air chamber. The quality has declined. is not automatically unsafe | Break it into a bowl, smell it. If its smell is normal then use it. Discard if there is a sulfur smell |
Signs that eggs have gone bad
when to throw them out
Sulfur or rotten smell after breakage: The most reliable fault indicator. The USDA confirms that a spoiled egg will smell foul when cracked, even after cooking. Always crack eggs into a separate bowl before adding them to a recipe so you can smell and inspect them before adding them in. There is no mistaking the sulfur smell of rotten eggs.
Removing odor from shell without breaking: Very old or severely spoiled eggs may give off a bad odor before they hatch. If you smell an unpleasant odor from an unbroken egg, discard it immediately.
Pink, green, or iridescent egg whites: Any unusual color in the egg white after cracking it indicates bacterial contamination. Discard immediately. Note that a green ring around a hard-boiled yolk is not a sign of spoilage; This is the result of overcooking or high iron in the cooking water, and it is safe to eat.
Thin, watery white that spreads excessively: As eggs age, the proteins in the white begin to break down and it becomes increasingly runny and watery. Egg whites that are too runny are a sign of low quality, old eggs. This is not necessarily unsafe, but will not perform as well in recipes that require structure, such as meringues or soufflés.
Cracked Shell: Cracked egg shells allow bacteria to enter. Do not buy eggs with cracked shells. If the egg breaks during transportation, transfer the contents to a clean sealed container and use within two days.
Swimming and stinking after breaking: If the egg floats and smells bad when broken, throw it away.
Why do raw boiled eggs spoil faster than raw ones?
This surprises most people. Cooking eggs actually shortens rather than extends their shelf life. The egg white and protective shell membrane in the shell of a raw egg contain natural antimicrobial properties. Hard boiling takes away those properties and the heat makes the shell a little more porous. Hard-boiled eggs keep for up to a week refrigerated in their shells. Peeled hard-boiled eggs last only a week when stored in water or an airtight container. Do not store hard-boiled eggs in their original egg carton.
How to store eggs correctly
Best Storage Practices
Keep eggs in their original carton. The carton protects the eggs from absorbing refrigerator odors through the porous shell and protects them from cracks. It also retains the pack date so you always know how old they are.
See also
Place at the back on the main shelf, not in the door. The egg tray in the refrigerator door is the worst place for eggs. The door is the hottest part of the fridge and experiences the most fluctuations in temperature. Constantly cool main shelf is better.
Keep at 40°F or below. The FDA requires egg producers to maintain eggs at 45°F for 36 hours after they are laid for retail sale. At home, keep your refrigerator at or below 40°F for maximum egg freshness and food safety.
Do not wash eggs before storing. Store-bought eggs are already commercially washed. Washing again removes any remaining protective coating. If there is a stain of dirt on the egg, wipe it dry instead of washing it.
Store the larger end. The air sac is at the larger end. Storing eggs with the large end up keeps the yolk concentrated and reduces the possibility of migration of bacteria from the air cell to the yolk.
If eggs have been left out for more than 2 hours, do not put them back in the refrigerator after they reach room temperature. Once a refrigerated egg warms to room temperature, condensation may form on the shell as it cools, which can allow bacteria to enter through the porous surface. If the eggs were out for less than 2 hours, it’s fine to return them to the fridge.
Recipes that use eggs
Frequently Asked Questions
My eggs are two weeks past their sell by date. Are they still good?
Possibly, if they have been continuously refrigerated. The sell-by date for USDA-graded eggs cannot be more than 30 days after the pack date, and eggs are safe for 4 to 5 weeks after the pack date. This means that cartons purchased around the sell-by date may contain eggs that will remain safe at home for another 2 to 3 weeks. Do the float test, then crack each egg into a bowl and sniff before using. If it smells and looks normal, it is safe. If there is any sulfur smell, discard it.
Is it safe to eat a floating egg?
According to the USDA, a floating egg is not automatically unsafe. Floating indicates that the egg has a larger air cell due to age, which means it is older and lower in quality. It may still be perfectly safe to eat. Crack the eggs into a separate bowl and smell them before using. If it has a normal odor with a sulfur or rotten odor, it is safe to cook and eat. If there is any foul smell, remove it. Do not eat raw or soft-cooked floating eggs; As an added safety measure, cook it thoroughly until 160°F.
I left the eggs on the counter overnight. Are they still safe?
Store-bought refrigerated eggs left overnight have exceeded the FDA’s 2-hour guideline. Whether they are safe depends on the temperature of the room and how long they were out. They may still be acceptable in a cool kitchen with temperatures around 65°F; Their risk is higher in hot kitchens. The USDA advises that refrigerated eggs should not be left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours. If in doubt, break each one into a bowl and smell it before using. If you’re cooking for someone who is pregnant, elderly, very young, or immunocompromised, eliminate them.
Further reading
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