Can Out Of Date Eggs Make You Sick? (Avoid Salmonella)
Out-of-date eggs can make you sick. In fact, eggs that are past their expiration date are more likely to contain harmful bacteria like Salmonella. Salmonella is a type of bacteria that can cause food poisoning. Symptoms of Salmonella poisoning include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps. In severe cases, Salmonella can lead to death.
Eggs are a typical household food all around the world. They provide a cheap and wholesome source of protein. It makes sense why people like to keep eggs on hand because they can be quickly prepared for supper at any time of the day.
Generally speaking, if eggs are stored and prepared correctly, they can be eaten up to three weeks after their sell-by date. The sell-by date denotes when the egg cartons must be removed from the market shelves.
The eggs are still safe to eat after the sell-by date, despite what the label may say. It’s crucial to recognize the distinction between rotten and expired eggs.
What dangers lurk in eating rotten eggs?
Eating stale or tainted eggs increases your chance of getting ill. A potent sulfur odor makes rotten eggs easy to spot.
Salmonella is a bacteria that can get inside the eggshell and is present in contaminated eggs. However, because Salmonella can infect even fresh eggs, identifying Salmonella can be challenging. Fortunately, using proper handling and cooking techniques can prevent this.
How long are eggs good for?
Eggs have a noticeably longer shelf life than other perishable proteins. Most meats and milk remain fresh in the refrigerator for one week after being opened. The date markings written on egg cartons are helpful in this situation.
The length of time that your eggs will remain fresh and safe to eat is shown on the date label. Eggs are frequently labeled with the day they were processed and packed or their expiration date.
Best-by: If you consume the eggs before this deadline, which the manufacturer establishes, they will be at their best quality and flavor. After this date, the eggs can still be sold and are regarded as safe to consume as long as they don’t exhibit signs of rotting.
Sell-by: The egg pack date must be more than 30 days before this time. The eggs may be roughly four weeks old when they reach their sell-by date.
EXP: This is another way to indicate a “sell-by” date and is shorthand for “expiration.”
Eggs may generally be kept fresh for 3-5 weeks after the pack date when they were collected, cleaned, and kept in the refrigerator. After five weeks, the freshness of your eggs can start to decrease.
They might lose their original flavor and color, and the texture might change somewhat. Even if you refrigerate them, eggs will lose quality over many weeks.
Here’s a video that can help you understand how long eggs can really last:
How can we identify rotten eggs?
You can assess the freshness of the eggs using the float test or candle test. They may or may not be able to tell you whether an egg is rotten. Eggs that sink after being placed in a large water basin are believed to be fresh.
Stench: When you split open spoiled eggs, they will give off a foul or sour smell.
Cracks: Dangerous bacteria like Salmonella can enter the body through cracked shells.
Egg white color: The presence of bacteria may be indicated if it is iridescent or greenish. The egg white is often transparent or hazy, with or without structures resembling strings or chalazae.
Candle test: Aids in examining the egg for any blood or meat stains, which are indicators of fertilization. It is necessary to hold a light source close to the egg’s wider side, tilt it to one side while keeping it by its narrower end, and then swiftly bring it back.
Dates of expiration
If eggs are kept in their original cartons, owners can also look for an expiration date to determine whether the food is safe to consume. The information on the carton, though, might occasionally be a little perplexing.
According to the USDA, producers in the United States are not required by law to print the expiry or sell-by date on egg cartons. However, this requirement is present in some states.
If an egg manufacturer decides to specify an expiration date, it must be no later than 30 days following the pack date. In the refrigerator, eggs can be preserved for three to five weeks. They might still be safe to consume even though the sell-by date may have passed during that period.
After buying them, one should put them in the refrigerator right away to keep them safe. People should put eggs in the coldest part of the refrigerator rather than the door, and the ideal refrigerator temperature is 40°F (4°C).
| Type of egg | Time safe at room temperature | Time safe in the refrigerator |
| raw in-shell egg | less than 2 hours | 4–5 weeks |
| raw egg whites | less than 2 hours | 2–4 days |
| raw egg yolks | less than 2 hours | 2–4 days |
| hard-boiled egg | less than 2 hours | 1 week |
| egg substitute or liquid eggs | less than 2 hours | 3 days opened or 10 days unopened |
Eating a rotten egg has health hazards.
One runs the danger of contracting a Salmonella infection or food poisoning if one consumes raw eggs. Bacteria of the type salmonella can develop on the shell and inside the yolk and egg white.
The majority of individuals recover from a Salmonella infection without the use of antibiotics. However, those who display severe symptoms can require hospitalization.
How to keep eggs fresh in storage?
Even though eggs have a limited shelf life, they can stay safe and fresh for an unexpectedly long time with appropriate washing and storage. These techniques also aid in limiting the development of microorganisms.
Although you may have heard that agricultural eggs can be kept directly on your countertop, most people keep their eggs in the refrigerator. For a brief while, eggs can be kept safe and secure on the counter if they aren’t washed and are maintained at a constant room temperature.
After washing, an egg is more prone to transmit pathogens like Salmonella from the shell’s exterior to its interior.
Keep your eggs in the fridge.
Eggs are best kept in a refrigerator at around 40°F (4-5°C). Because the contents of frozen eggs are prone to expand and harm the shell, experts advise against freezing eggs still in their bodies.
Additionally, a few laboratory studies show that refrigeration and colder temperatures dramatically lower the possibility of salmonella contamination in eggs.
Eggs should, wherever possible, be kept on a shelf in the fridge’s main compartment rather than in the door. Since it is frequently exposed to the open air, the entrance is often the warmest place. Keep your eggs away from raw meat to prevent bacterial contamination, and avoid placing anything heavy on them in the fridge to prevent damage to the shells.
Researchers are always looking for fresh.
Scientists are constantly looking for novel approaches to prevent Salmonella and other germs from infecting eggs, such as coating them in plant-based biofilms. However, keeping eggs in the refrigerator can be the most straightforward method for preserving their safety and freshness.
Final Thoughts
- The egg yolk and egg white may become discolored when eggs smell rotten. Bacteria may potentially taint eggshells that are cracked or sticky.
- Checking the egg’s expiration date, visually examining its shell, and breaking it open to smell the inside are simple techniques to assess an egg’s freshness.
- Salmonella infection, which can cause fever, vomiting, and diarrhea, is the most significant risk associated with consuming rotten eggs.
- One can lessen their risk of contracting Salmonella by keeping eggs in the refrigerator, tossing any with cracked shells, and properly frying them before consuming them.
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