Frequently asked questions about eggs:

• How long can I keep hard boiled eggs (with the shell on) in the fridge?

• Eggs can contain such bacteria as salmonella. Explain how cooking eggs makes them safe to eat.

• I have heard that raw eggs aren't good for you. Could you please clarify this?

• How long can hard boiled eggs be left at room temperature? We are coloring eggs for Easter.

• My mom taught me to put hard boiled eggs (taken our of shell) and put in water and add a dash of salt. never asked her how long and she has died? do you know??? thanks.
• I bought a carton of eggs and forgot to put it in the fridge. It was therefore at room temperature for about 12 hours. Is it still safe to consume the eggs....Thanks.
• I store my eggs on the top shelf in the refrigerator. They freeze... Why are they freezing when nothing else freezes?
• What if eggs partly froze in the fridge - are they still safe to eat?
• How long can I keep a hard boiled egg in vinegar on the counter?
• Hi!  I have eggs in the refrigerator and there is no best before date since they came from my parents' hen house.  How could I know if they are still good?  (I know that there is a way to find out where you put the egg in the water but I do not remember if it must float or sink).  Thank you!
• How long can we keep eggs in the refrigerator if we have thrown away the original packaging?
• How many days after being laid can we eat hard boiled eggs?  For how many days is an egg is still considered extra fresh?
• How far past the "sell by" date are refrigerated eggs good?
• We hard boiled eggs and then put them in meat drawer of the refrig and they froze??? Can we still eat them??
• Why do the yolks of a hard boiled egg sometimes turn green? and is it ok to eat it?
• Urgent question, my boss has just given me 144 hardboiled eggs which go out of date tomorrow - I have chickens and thought I could use the yolks to feed them if I could freeze them today???? help please. also is it safe for me to freeze the whole hardboiled egg for us to use again sometime??? thanks, annette
• How long can you have leftover pudding in the fridge before it is unsafe to eat?
• How many eggs per day can we eat without putting our health at risk?
• I'm temporarily in Germany and there's a much more casual attitude about refrigeration than I'm used to. 1) Grocery stores don't keep their eggs or margarine refrigerated. Is this safe? 2) my mother-in-law keeps cooked pasta in tupperware on the counter overnight. is this safe? 3) what about sending my son to school with a ham sandwich for him to eat at lunchtime? thank you!
• How long can I store raw egg whites in the fridge & still be safe to use in a baked recipe?
• i have eggs in the fridge and the best by date was the 11th of this month and I took them out today and there was some white stuff that looked like mold or something, but how do i know that they are still good?
• You're site is very helpful but it still didn't answer my question. When you put eggs in water how can you tell if they're good or not? Do they float if they're good, or sink? Thanks!
• Can we freeze eggs?  Do we absolutely have to separate the yolks from the whites?
• I would like to know everything about expiry dates of foods, drugs and all other products.  Thanks!
• What kind of bacteria can grow in Potato Salad made with hard-boiled eggs if it sits out too long in the sun?
• My eggs were layed on 08/10 and we are 03/11.  Can I still eat cook them and eat them knowing that I kept them in the refrigerator all the time?
• I forgot and left 4 eggs in room temp water overnight. Can these be hard boiled, refrigerated and eaten? Thank you.
• I made a cake batter using mayonaise instead of eggs and oil cooked some and promptly refrigerated the rest, Also a made muffins using eggs and oil and promptly refrigerated, How long can I refrigerate before baking?
• What is that white stuff when you crack an egg into a cup- it looks like mucus or something
• Hello! I left a carton of eggs in my car for less than 4 hours. It was about 40 or 50 degrees outside and when I got them out, the eggs were still pretty cold to the touch. Would you recommend that they be safe to consume? Thanks!
• I bought a pre-lemon pastry (lemon squares - made with butter, sugar & eggs) at the local store. It was labeled "Keep refrigerated" but I left it out in my kitchen overnight (temp. 67 degrees in the house). Should I throw it out? Thank you!
• I made egg salad with hard-boiled eggs, mayo, and pickles. How long will this stay fresh in the fridge in tupperware?
• I made Macaroni and Cheese in the crockpot this AM but forgot to turn the crockpot on. The recipe has eggs, milk and cheese in it. It sat for about 1 hour and 45 minutes before I realized my mistake. Should I throw it out or will it be okay? Thank you.
• Hi: I have a granddaughter that is 2 1/2. Someone gave me fresh chicken eggs. I wan't to know if they are safe for her to eat. 
• hello is there anyway to can eggs without pickling them. thank you
• How long can we keep a homemade mayonnaise?
• I just found in by cupboards a farmer's chèvre cheese that I wanted to eat very dry.  It has been there for at least a year.  I removed the black wrapper and  tasted it.  It is excellent.  Do you think that I can eat it?  Thanks!
• If an egg has hairline fractures is it still ok to eat?
• A friend and myself just found a bowl of hard-boiled eggs sitting on top of a warm radiator in the kitchen of the monastery we live in. The purpose is to serve the eggs warm in the morning. We are concerned. Is this as dangerous as it looks?
• My boyfriend made egg fried rice with eggs 5 weeks past their best-before date; they were refrigerated the entire time. I am concerned that he's poisoned us. Is there anything I can do?
• Can I freeze egg custard?
• I prepared some hard-boiled eggs and I forgot them on the kitchen counter for 4 or 5 hours before putting them in the refrigerator.  Can I eat them? 
• When I was a kid my mom used to put our colored easter eggs on the kitchen table and we would eat them till none left. I still do this to this day. I have had easter egg hunts with dyed eggs left out for hours. I have never had any bad effects from doing this. I thought once the egg was cooked it was okay?
• I want to prepare a mushroom onion quiche in advance for a party I am having in 5 weeks.Is it safe to freeze, will it freeze well and is it better to freeze it uncooked or cooked,;assuming it freezes well,;in either case what's the best way to cook or reheat it before serving
• Hi!  I was wondering how long can we keep homemade hard-boiled egg in vinegar and how long can we keep in the refrigerator commercially prepared hard-boiled eggs in vinegar once the jar has been opened?  Thanks!
• How long can we keep eggs that are past their expiry date?
• Can we eat an egg the same day it has been laid?
• I purchased a new, sealed mayonnaise bottle (plastic) from the store which fell out of the bag and consequently left in a hot car 24 hours. Is it still ok to use this mayo since it has never been opened or will the extreme heat cause the mayo to be unsafe?
• I have used 7 eggs yesterday (June 29th, 2007) to make a marble cake.  I had to use them by that date (June 29th, 2007).  Usually, until when are they good?  Thanks!
• Hello! Great site. We have a duck who lays an egg a day, usually between the hours of 7 AM and 10 AM. We missed her egg yesterday and found it this morning, meaning it was in her nest for approx. 24 hours. How long after being laid can an egg go without refridgeration? Her eggs make great cakes! Thanks in advance.
• How would you know that a chicken egg is still fresh from hardboiled sample?
• Hello. I had two tubs of butter that I accidently left in the car for a few hours and then they sat in the living room ( still in cooler bag) for a few more hours before they made it to the fridge. Both butters were soft but not runny and didn't feel very warm. I was wondering if they would still be safe to eat, or maybe cook with?
• How long are egg whites good for after expiry date? They're stored in the fridge door
• I heard that it is dangerous to eat mayonnaise that had been heated up such as preparing chicken sandwichs with cheese , freeze them and then heat them in the microwave.  Where would the mayonnaise become dangerous? 
• Hi!  I read once that it was better to eat an egg so many days after it has been laid, a poached egg after so many days and a hardboiled after so many weeks.  I cannot find this information anywhere.  Do you know?
• Good morning Mrs. Cookwell.  I would like to know how long can I keep in the refrigerator a chicken or an egg sandwich preparation that contains mayonnaise without having the mayonnaise to cause food poisoning?
• Using eggs, butter, sugar, flour and lemon I made lemon squares on Sunday and refrigerated them - it is now Saturday are they still okay to eat? is there are rule of thumb expiry date when cooking with eggs?
• I made chocolate cake frosting with eggwhites. How long can they keep in the sun?
• I have a jar of mayonnaise which had a "best before" date of 4 weeks ago  Is it dangerous to eat?
• Hi!  I plan to leave for a four day trip and I want to hardboil eggs to consume during the trip.  Is there any danger to my health? 
• When we crack the raw egg why is there no yoke,the egg lookes like it was beetened.
• Eggs prepared as hardboiled the day of their "Consume by Date" as fresh will keep how many days in the refrigerator?
• It appears that eggs sold in stores are not refrigerated . Am I mistaken?  Someone told me that we can keep eggs out of the refrigerator as long as we cover them with a dishtowel.  What do you think?  Thank you!
• After storing a hard boiled egg properly (without the shell in a bowl of cold water for less then a week at 4C), what is the proper way to warm it up for a quick breakfast? I tried to microwave one, but I heard it burst halfway through and left me with a partially cold egg.
• Is your website reliable at 100%?
• I have some eggs where the expiry date is Oct. 20 and we are Oct. 21st.  Can I still use them knowing that they were kept at room temperature on a kitchen shelf and not in the refrigerator?
• How long can I store caesar salad dressing in the frige - my recipe uses raw, unpasteurized egg yolks.
• Hi!  We would like to know how research scientists determine the "Best before" date of foods?  How do molds grow on food?  Thanks!
• My husband and I do not agree on one point.  Can we put mayonnaise in sandwiches for our kids for their lunches at school knowing that they will not be refrigerated?  Thank you!
• Hi!  Here is my problem.  This morning I woke up and I consumed a cooked egg that was in the refrigerator.  I noticed after that the egg must have been in the refrigerator for abour a week and a half.  I would like to know if I am at risk?  It has been seven hour now that I ate this egg and I feel fine.
• When I boil eggs they always seem to crack. Is it ok to eat the eggs with the cracked shells? Thanks!
• A chemical reaction is suppose to happen boiling an eye for 1 hour. Please explain and is it safe to eat
• I am now living in the Middle East and eggs are sold at room temperature rather than in the refrigeration section of the grocery. According to the health guidelines we have here, eggs that are never refrigerated are safe for consumption for one month but if you refrigerate them they must be consumed within one week. Why is this?
• if i left an egg in the vinegar for about two days and it become soft, is it still safe to eat?
• Can hardboiled eggs be reheated safely?
• I have some leftover caesar dressing. Can this be frozen?
• I have eggs that are at their two weeks after "expiry date". I'm going to be baking them in cupcakes, are they ok to use?
• I have an unopened carton of eggnog marked 12/20. It is 12/28, will this still be okay?
• Can we freeze a quiche made of eggs, milk and cheese?
• Hi!  I have just noticed this evening that I have prepared a hard boil egg for my daughter for add to her salad and the expiry date if the egg was 20/12.  Is there a risk for her? 
• I worked for a mobile canteen and we have received a large quantities of eggs that were frozen (whole eggs in shell).  Can we used them to prepare omelets and in other recipes?
• Is it possible to use margarine a couple of weeks past the sell by date
• If I bought store-made chicken salad made with mayonnaise, and then put it right in the freezer when I got home..and then 8 hours later, I took it out of the freezer and thawed it in the refrigerator--- when it is thawed, can it be eaten safely, then?
• Can we eat duck eggs the same way we would est chicken eggs?  If not, how should they be prepared?
• Can I consume olive oil that froze?
• I made a sandwich with egg and mayonnaise for my son's school lunch that can not be kept refrigerated.  Can he get food poisoning from the egg and mayonnaise?  I am so worried since I made his lunch!
• Hi!  Can you tell me if we can consume hard boiled eggs that have been cooked for an extended period of time after the expiry date?  On the packaging of the purchased eggs, it was indicated:  limit date of sale:  05/03/2008.  Thank you for your answer.
• I used a boiled egg that had been in the frig for 2 weeks. I used it in a spinach salad. When I peeled and sliced the egg it smelled fine and looked perfect. By the time I served the salad, the egg had turned black and looked awful! Could there have been a chemical reaction of some sort? We picked the egg out and ate the salad. Thanks
• How long can I keep raw egg yolks in a sealed container put in the refrigerator.  Thank you!
• Hi!  I do not want to eat commercially prepared food.  I can cooked only in the morning and at the beginning of the afternoon for the evening due to timing and availability reasons.  I would wish to know how long a dish such as a broth creamy white sauce au gratin (no milk or cream added) with an egg can be left at room temperature or in a tempered oven after cooking?  Note that the dish would be well covered under aluminium foil or stretch seal .  Thank you!
• Hi!  I am preparing a buffet for the 60th birthday of my husband and I would like to make gelled eggs.  I would like to know how long in advance can i prepare them without causing problem to my guests.  I am alone to prepare teh food so I have to make things ahead of time.  It is for May 2nd.  Waiting for your answer?  Thank you!
• Can Egg Salad prepared with commercial mayo be frozen & for what length of time if so? If not, how many days will it keep in the fridge? Thanks!
• How long can I keep a chawarma sauce in the freezer if made with natural yogurt, vinegar, salt, pepper and sometimes fresh cream.  Thank you!
• Hi!  I would like to know for how long can i keep egg yolks in the refrigerator.  Thank you!
• We have consumed a punctured egg (hole in the shell but membrane intact) in an easy bakeed omelet on hte 29th.  Is there a risk of contamination?  If so, how can we notice it rapidly?  (health wise)  Thank you?
• i!  I have a large quantity of Caesar dressing from the market that has never been opened.  Its best before date has passed for some time now.  Is it possible to eat it (cold or warm)?  Is it possible to freeze?
• I poured broth from my cooked chicken into an almost empty jar of mayo and refrigerated for a few days. I then used that mayo - chicken broth to flavor fresh cooked butter beans. Now, in hindsight, I'm not sure that was safe. Should the beans be okay to eat, or freeze now?
• How long is ranch dip/cucumber dip good for after you open it... if its been in the fridge?
• What is the cause of broken yolk in eggs?
• I purchased a dozen eggs at an organic farmer's market. 11 eggs were good, but one of the eggs had a pinkish tinge to the albumin and the yolk was mottled. I threw out the egg but now I wonder if it would have been okay to cook the egg and consume it.
• How long can you keep an unopened jar of commercial spaghetti sauce (e.g., Classico brand?)?
• How long can egg salad be stored in the fridge for?
• At the restaurant, when we order a boiled egg ans when it is served, should it be served to the consumer in its own complete shell in an egg-cup or should it be served half of its shell removed by the cook?  Thank you!
• Hello, I made Chicken salad and brought it to work for lunch only to realize that instead of putting it in the refrigerator I left it in my bag for 3 hours at room temperature. After refrigeration will it be ok to eat or should I just dispose of it? Thank You!
• Hi there! I just bought some fresh eggs but I dropped and cracked them. I shelled them and put the yolks and whites into a container and then refrigerated them. Is this ok and if so, how long can I keep them like this?
• Can I eat my chicken that has died from natural causes she is about 6 years old.
• Can we freeze date squares?
• We'd had some dough in the fridge for two weeks that has an egg yolk in it. I noticed that it had turned slightly greenish. Is it unsafe to use, even after baking?
• Hi.  After making bread, I kept a raw egg mixed with milk in a bowl in the refrigerator.  How long can I keep it that way?  Thank you!

 

---

 

How long can I keep hard boiled eggs (with the shell on) in the fridge?

Hard cooked eggs may be stored in the fridge, either with the shell on or shelled and covered (in the carton), for as long as one week. They make a great breakfast on the run.

Eggs can contain such bacteria as salmonella. Explain how cooking eggs makes them safe to eat.

If eggs are thoroughly cooked, the temperature reached during the cooking destroys bacteria such as salmonella. For more information see the CFIA pamphlet on Salmonella.

I have heard that raw eggs aren't good for you. Could you please clarify this?

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Health Canada recommend that consumers do not consume raw or lightly cooked eggs such as Caesar salad dressings, soft cooked eggs, eggnog, and raw cookie dough or cake batter. However the Canadian egg industry makes the following recommendations with regard to consuming raw or lightly cooked eggs:

• Use fresh, properly stored and handled eggs;
• Once the dish has been prepared ensure that it is kept refrigerated;
• Do not leave at room temperature for long periods of time i.e. more that 2 hours;
• Small children, very elderly or immune compromised individuals should not consume raw/lightly cooked egg products.

The consumption of raw/lightly cooked eggs is a personal choice which needs to be determined by each individual.

How long can hard boiled eggs be left at room temperature? We are coloring eggs for Easter.

Since you plan to eat the hard boiled eggs it is essential to follow safe food handling guidelines. The eggs will need to be kept refrigerated as much as possible between hard cooking, decorating and display (or hiding). The total amount of time spent at room temperature should not exceed 2 hours. If necessary, display the hard cooked eggs on ice. Remember to use non-toxic dye and decorations.

My mom taught me to put hard boiled eggs (taken our of shell) and put in water and add a dash of salt. never asked her how long and she has died? do you know??? thanks.

All my regrets for your mother.  The hard boiled eggs should be kept in the refrigerator.  Under this condition, they will keep for a week.

I bought a carton of eggs and forgot to put it in the fridge. It was therefore at room temperature for about 12 hours. Is it still safe to consume the eggs....Thanks.

Discard the eggs. They have been left out in the danger zone temperature for more than two hours.

I store my eggs on the top shelf in the refrigerator. They freeze... Why are they freezing when nothing else freezes?

Use a fridge thermometer to check the temperature of that shelf in your refrigerator. If colder than 4C/40F turn down your refrigerator and move your eggs to a less cold place in your refrigerator.  

What if eggs partly froze in the fridge - are they still safe to eat?

Partly frozen eggs should be used as quickly as possible in ways in which they are thoroughly cooked.

How long can I keep a hard boiled egg in vinegar on the counter?

A hard boiled egg in vinegar should be kept refrigerated and used within a week. If a reliable recipe for pickling is followed, they may be stored at room temperature for several months. Once opened, refrigerate and use within one month.

Hi!  I have eggs in the refrigerator and there is no best before date since they came from my parents' hen house.  How could I know if they are still good?  (I know that there is a way to find out where you put the egg in the water but I do not remember if it must float or sink).  Thank you!

The Best Before Date for farm fresh eggs is 3 weeks from laying, if the eggs have been kept refrigerated.

How long can we keep eggs in the refrigerator if we have thrown away the original packaging?

The Best Before Date for fresh refrigerated eggs is usually 35 days after grading. They can be used for two weeks after that as long as they are thoroughly cooked as in baking.

How many days after being laid can we eat hard boiled eggs?  For how many days is an egg is still considered extra fresh?

Fresh eggs in the shell can be refrigerated for as long as 3 to 4 weeks. Once hard cooked, they can be safely refrigerated for one week.

How far past the "sell by" date are refrigerated eggs good?

It is safe to use eggs up to two weeks after the "best before date" on the carton providing they have been handled and stored correctly since purchase. Use in ways in which they are thoroughly cooked.

We hard boiled eggs and then put them in meat drawer of the refrig and they froze??? Can we still eat them??

It is not recommended to freeze hard cooked eggs. They are safe to use but the whites become tough and watery.

Why do the yolks of a hard boiled egg sometimes turn green? and is it ok to eat it?

These eggs are safe to eat. But to prevent this from happening, here's how to cook the eggs. Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan and cover with at least 2.5 cm (1 in) water. Quickly bring to a full boil. Remove pan from heat; cover and let stand 20 to 25 minutes. Immediately run cold water over the eggs.

Urgent question, my boss has just given me 144 hardboiled eggs which go out of date tomorrow - I have chickens and thought I could use the yolks to feed them if I could freeze them today???? help please. also is it safe for me to freeze the whole hardboiled egg for us to use again sometime??? thanks, annette

Hard cooked eggs do not freeze well as the white tends to become tough and rubbery. If using the yolks for chicken feed, you could try mashing the yolks and freezing them without the white.

How long can you have leftover pudding in the fridge before it is unsafe to eat?

It is best to consume left over foods like the pudding within 3 to 4 days. It may still be safe to consume beyond that time but, overtime, decay will happen.

How many eggs per day can we eat without putting our health at risk?

This will depend of the person's health.  It is a question that you should be discussing with your docter and/or a dietitian.

I'm temporarily in Germany and there's a much more casual attitude about refrigeration than I'm used to. 1) Grocery stores don't keep their eggs or margarine refrigerated. Is this safe? 2) my mother-in-law keeps cooked pasta in tupperware on the counter overnight. is this safe? 3) what about sending my son to school with a ham sandwich for him to eat at lunchtime? thank you!

This is always a difficult question to answer. Food handling does differ from country to country. As a Canadian, my best suggestion to you is to follow the guidelines set here. Refrigerate perishable foods promptly, cook meats and other foods thoroughly, don't cross contaminate and keep your hands and utensils clean as you prepare food. Also your relatives may not become sick from unrefrigerated food as they have become accustomed to it. It may be different for yourself.
As for the ham sandwich, pack a small freezer pack with the sandwich and ideally send in an