Safe Storage at Home
The FDA advises storing eggs promptly in a clean refrigerator at 40°F, or approximately 4°C, or colder. Keep them in their original carton rather than placing them uncovered in the refrigerator door, where temperatures may fluctuate more frequently.
For best quality, the FDA recommends using refrigerated shell eggs within approximately three weeks.
Hard-cooked eggs should be eaten within one week, while leftover cooked egg dishes should generally be used within three to four days.
Do not leave cooked eggs or egg-containing dishes at room temperature for more than two hours. When the surrounding temperature is above 90°F, or approximately 32°C, that limit drops to one hour because bacteria multiply rapidly in warm conditions.
Cook shell eggs until both the yolk and white are firm when maximum safety is the priority, especially when serving people in higher-risk groups. Scrambled eggs should not remain runny.
Casseroles, quiches, and other mixed dishes containing eggs should reach an internal temperature of 160°F, or approximately 71°C. A food thermometer provides the most reliable way to check the temperature.
Wash hands, utensils, cutting boards, bowls, and work surfaces with hot, soapy water after they come into contact with raw eggs.
Do not reuse a plate, spoon, whisk, or other utensil that held raw egg unless it has been properly washed. Keep raw eggs away from fruit, bread, salads, cooked food, and other items that will be eaten without further heating.
For recipes traditionally made with raw or undercooked eggs, use pasteurized shell eggs or pasteurized egg products.
When Should an Egg Be Discarded?
Discard eggs with cracked or badly damaged shells. Do not use an egg when the shell is leaking or appears heavily contaminated.
After cracking an egg into a separate clean bowl, throw it away if it produces a distinctly foul or rotten odor. Cracking eggs one at a time before adding them to a larger recipe also prevents one spoiled egg from ruining the entire dish.
However, do not discard an egg simply because its shell is green, blue-green, or olive. That color may be completely normal for the breed.
The warning signs that matter are damaged packaging, poor refrigeration, cracks, contamination, unusual odor, and unsafe handling—not the shell’s natural color.
