Is It Safe to Eat Expired Eggs?

You might have more leeway than you think.

One of the longest-lasting things in your refrigerator just might be that carton of eggs you bought to make egg bites or an omelet. Even if it's been in there a couple of weeks (or longer!), it's likely that the eggs are still safe to eat, according to experts. "One of the great things about eggs is they'll keep for more than a month when properly stored," says Elisa Maloberti, manager of special projects and food safety at the American Egg Board. Here we break down what you need to know about eggs and expiration dates.

Related: Do Food Expiration Dates Really Mean Anything?

How Eggs Are Dated

"Those expiration dates are on some egg cartons to make sure that retailers don't keep eggs on shelves past a certain date," Maloberti says. "However, eggs can be safely eaten two to three weeks past that date. Depending on where [you live], the expiration date may be labeled as Sell By, Use By, Exp. By or Best By."

If you'd like to dig deeper, it's good to know that cartons from plants that produce Department of Agriculture-graded eggs must display what's called a Julian date, which is the day of the year the eggs were packed. On those egg cartons, if an expiration date appears, it can be no more than 30 days after the pack date.

Related: 8 Foods That Last Way Longer Than the Expiration 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. How to find that date? "It's usually found on the short side of the carton and represents the consecutive days of the year, with the number 001 as January 1 and December 31 as 365."

How to Keep Eggs Fresh for Longer

All eggs should be stored in a refrigerator that's been set at 40°F or lower. And where those eggs are stored within the fridge also can make a difference, Maloberti says. "It's best to place them on an inside shelf, and not in the door," she says. "Repeated opening and closing of the door causes temperature fluctuations, and slamming it shut can result in [eggshell] breakage." Also, she suggests keeping things easy on yourself and just storing them right in the carton they came in. "Cartons will keep eggs from picking up odors and flavors from other foods, and they'll prevent moisture loss," she says

Related: 5 Risky Refrigerator Mistakes You're Probably Making—Plus, What to Do About Them

Is That a Bad Egg?

How do eggs deteriorate anyway? Maloberti explains: "An eggshell has thousands of tiny pores that allow air to pass through. As it ages, the egg's quality will gradually degrade. The white becomes thinner, the yolk becomes flatter and the yolk membrane weakens. Although these changes may affect appearance, they don't indicate spoilage and don't have any great effect on the nutritional quality of the egg or its functions in recipes."

She notes that eggs rarely spoil, but if you keep them refrigerated long enough, they're more likely to simply dry up due to natural exchange of gas and moisture through the shell pores. "Eventually, probably in a year or more, you'll find nothing but a yellow sheen on the inside of the shell when you crack it," she says.

Use only eggs with shells that are clean, unbroken and free from debris. If you find a broken and leaking egg, discard it right away. Also, she says, it's smart to "discard any eggs with shells that don't look or feel clean and dry. A slimy feel can indicate bacterial growth, and, regardless of color, powdery spots that come off on your hand may indicate mold."

Could This Egg Make Me Sick?

Salmonella bacteria, if present at all, can be in both the egg white and yolk, Maloberti says: "If eggs are kept at warm temperatures, it's possible for bacteria to reach the nutrient-dense yolk, where it can grow over time. But [in] a clean, uncracked egg, in which refrigerated conditions have been maintained and cross-contamination has been prevented, internal contamination occurs only rarely."

Why Older Eggs Are Easier to Peel

It can be challenging to peel a hard-boiled egg, especially when bits of shell persist in clinging to the egg white, giving you a pockmarked finished product. According to Maloberti, the secret to an easier peel is to buy them a week before boiling. "Very fresh eggs can be difficult to peel," she explains. "For the easiest-peeling eggs, buy and refrigerate them 7 to 10 days before boiling. This brief 'breather' allows the eggs time to take in air, which helps separate the membranes from the shell." The Food and Drug Administration recommends refrigerating hard-boiled eggs (peeled or unpeeled) for up to one week.

Bottom Line

Eggs are a delicious, nutritious protein source. While each carton of eggs is marked with an expiration date, if properly stored at 40°F or lower, they should be safe to eat for longer—usually two to three weeks past the expiration date. If you need healthy recipes to use up the eggs in your refrigerator, try one of these delicious egg recipes.