You Can Tell If An Egg Is Expired By Dropping It In A Glass Of Water
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A rotten egg—nobody wants to be one, much less eat one, amiright? But before you toss any huevos that seem suspect, let’s find out if you actually can eat expired eggs. If you’re going by the date stamped on the carton, it may refer to when the eggs were packed, not when they’re best by. Don't stress, the code for these numbers are easy to crack, so you'll soon know exactly what they mean.
An MVP in your ultimate protein playbook, eggs are a great source of B vitamins and vitamin D. They're quick-cooking and clutch for having eggs any way in the morning: scrambled, poached, fried, or hard-boiled (see our guide on How To Make Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs). So, it’d be a total shame to toss them if they’re still indeed edible.
To find out how long can you eat eggs after the expiration date, I tapped food safety experts to unscramble the facts. Read on to learn the difference between eggs that are expired and safe vs. those that are spoiled.
What do the dates on egg cartons mean?
That date stamped on many egg cartons is actually a “sell-by” date, which is technically different from an expiration date and isn't required to be on those cartons by federal law. (Don't worry, I'll explain!)
You’ll be happy to know that date isn't ironclad. “As long as the egg hasn’t gone bad, there’s no reason you can’t still enjoy it,” says nutritionist Keri Gans, RD, author of The Small Change Diet. That's right: You do not have to trash that carton of eggs just because it's past the sell-by date. You'll save money and eliminate food waste.
Meet the experts: Nutritionist Keri Gans, RD, is the author of The Small Change Diet. Dawn Jackson Blatner, RDN, is the author of The Superfood Swap. Nutritionist Alissa Rumsey, RD, is the owner of Alissa Rumsey Nutrition and Wellness. Benjamin Chapman, PhD, is a food safety specialist and professor at North Carolina State University.
But that doesn't mean eggs don't go bad at all. Just like most unprocessed foods, they eventually do. So how can you know if those old eggs are actually still good to eat? Here's what food safety experts have to say.
How long do eggs last?
You should use all eggs within three weeks of purchasing them, according to the FDA. But what if you can't remember when exactly you bought that dozen?
The carton will tell you, says Dawn Jackson Blatner, RDN, author of The Superfood Swap. Near the sell-by date, you should see a three-digit code. That's the date the eggs were packaged based on the Julian calendar, which assigns every day of the year a number from 1 (Jan. 1) to 365 (Dec. 31).
If you don't feel like counting, you can find a Julian calendar chart online. Fresh eggs stored in the carton should last anywhere from four to five weeks after that Julian calendar date, per the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
What's the difference between the "best-by" vs. "expiration" date?
According to the USDA:
A "best if used by/before" date indicates how long the eggs will be at their optimal taste and quality. You can definitely still eat eggs beyond this date (as long as they aren't spoiled; more on that below).
A "sell-by" date lets the grocery store know how long it can sell the eggs. You can still eat eggs after this date (again, as long as they haven't gone bad!).
An "expiration," or EXP, date is the same as a "sell-by" date.
Sell-by dates are “not related to the safety of the egg whatsoever,” says food safety specialist Benjamin Chapman, PhD, professor at North Carolina State University. Instead, it’s more about flavor. “Once the date has passed, the egg loses its peak quality based on shelf life studies and consumer test preferences,” he explains.
If a carton's sell-by date has passed, a store should be pulling it from shelves. Many stores use these dates as reminders that they need to rotate in new cartons, says nutritionist Alissa Rumsey, RD, owner of Alissa Rumsey Nutrition and Wellness.
How do you know when eggs have gone bad?
The best way to tell if an egg has spoiled is by getting up close and personal with it, Blatner explains. "When a shell is broken, even a little hairline fracture, that's where you're likely to get your eggs spoiled a lot faster," she says. "A spoiled egg will tell you." Here's what to look for:
Inspect it: A spoiled egg might have beads of moisture on the shell or look slimy, according to Chapman. A rotten egg will also usually have a pink or iridescent egg white, which indicates the presence of bacteria, Rumsey says. If you notice any changes in appearance, toss it in the bin.
Smell it: If your egg smells bad after you crack it, almost like sulfur, then it's time to chuck it, Blatner says.
Float it: Try the float test, suggests Blatner. "As an egg ages, moisture leaves through the shell and air comes in," she says. To test how old your egg is, lower it (uncracked) into a bowl of water. If it floats, then it's old. It if sinks, it's fresh. But "old" doesn't mean "spoiled." According to the USDA, an egg that sinks may still be edible—as long as it doesn't smell after you crack it.
Want to turn your eggs into a super fancy meal? This maitake mushroom steak and eggs recipe is legit:
Not sure who needs to hear this, but, “cooking a bad egg unfortunately will not reduce the smell and off-flavor,” says Chapman. Yes, that nasty bacteria will cook off, but there’s a reason we call certain people “bad eggs.” Just like those shady characters, literal bad eggs are irredeemable and must be dumped.
One thing that will ease your mind: While eggs can rot in the fridge, you don't have to worry about them sprouting salmonella. “The pathogen we really worry about with eggs is salmonella enteriditis and it doesn’t grow below 45 degrees,” Chapman says. “Also, that contamination happens inside the egg, so once it’s there, it’s there.” (TL;DR: how long you leave an egg in the fridge has zero impact on the salmonella situation.)
How can I make eggs last as long as possible in the fridge?
Luckily, there are a few easy ways to get the most out of that dozen. Add these to your grocery to-do list the next time you shop:
Check the date before you buy. Scope out the sell-by date before buying to make sure they're as fresh as possible when you take them home, Chapman says.
Store your eggs correctly at home. Once home, pop those eggs in the refrigerator ASAP, Gans says. The USDA recommends keeping your fridge temperature at 40 degrees or slightly below. “You should never leave eggs out of the fridge for longer than two hours in order to avoid bacterial growth,” Rumsey explains. Leave them in their carton—and don't stow them in the fridge door, which is warmer than the shelves, Blatner adds.
Now that you have all this good huevos knowledge, it’s time to get cracking! Try these healthy egg breakfasts that can't be, er, beat.
The bottom line: Eggs typically last three to five weeks in the fridge (even if beyond their sell-by date). To confirm an egg is safe to eat, check it for any changes in appearance or smell.
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