So... Mrs.BurtonRW texted me this morning to let me know that a batch of eggs which I didn't get around to hard boiling until the "sell by" date (which happened to be yesterday) smelled "funny". Not rancid, just "extra-eggy". So did another dozen which I had just bought on Tuesday and also boiled yesterday evening.

I know they should certainly be fresh up to (or through) the "sell by" date, and it doesn't explain why the fresh ones also smelled "extra eggy", but this led me to do a little quick googling about egg safety and according to doesitgobad.com, even hard boiled eggs, unpeeled, should only be kept for a week.

I know for a fact, I've eaten them after at least two weeks without any sign (or smell) of trouble. All the time.

Does anyone have an educated insight into the real life expectancy of a properly refrigerated, unpeeled, hard-boiled egg? Mrs.BurtonRW is somewhat sensitive to GI issues, so this is a new concern I'd like to address properly.

Thanks.

-Rob

I've eaten eggs a few weeks past the sell by date many times and had no issues. If the shell is cracked I wouldn't eat them......

Can't really answer your "sell by"question but I just threw out 6 hard boiled and a dozen "fresh" because the hard boiled ones had an off taste and smell(not bad just off).They were within date but I have always gone by if it doesnt taste/smell right I'm not eating it.

I’ve been one to not worry about eggs going up to a few weeks beyond the ‘sell by’ date. The net generally supports that. You are also cooking them, another safety tool.

Had a family member ruse about some ‘old eggs’ a while back. I had to explain they were from the farm, came in a reused egg carton.

I’d cook up & eat soon, only a stronger smell would give me pause.

Sorry - I rambled a bit in my OP. Too much info and muddled the questions.

This is mostly a query as to how long fresh eggs are good for after being hard boiled, left in the shell, and stored properly in the refrigerator.

.gov says one week. I say that's BS and they must last quite a bit longer than that before turning dangerous.

-Rob

The only products required by law to gave Use By dates are infant formula to ensure that nutrient levels remain high.

The rest of the dates you see on other things are either trade association or manufacturer driven. That's it.

The FDA has a nice article in this and their effort to get the Best By and Use By dates to actually mean something.

https://www.fda.gov/consumers/...abels-packaged-foods

I don't know if you are aware that eggs aren't even sent to the store for at least 2 weeks after they are laid. That is to ensure that they can be easily peeled when hard boiled.

Egg shells are porous and will take on other odors from within the refrigerator in time. That may be what you are smelling. We raise our own chickens and eat their eggs and have done so for a very long time. I'm sure we have eaten eggs that are a month or more old without issue.

Jim

We don't pay much attention to 'Sell By' dates on much of anything. If the stuff smell like it should, we consume it. Never had a problem. I think most of these dates are very conservative and only an attempt to have you throw stuff out and buy more.

If you hard boil eggs and cook them too long they will have a stronger smell. Ask me how I know.....some googling of hard boiled eggs got it fixed and now our eggs smell much better.

While sell by, use by dates are only one measure, I usually stand by, if it doesn't look, smell, taste right... I will throw it out.

I am not starving, I am not poor, I have a choice to throw it out.

If any circumstances changed, I may eat questionable foods, but until then, not worth the possibility of being sick for 12-36 hours.

It's never occurred to me to look at the date of eggs in the frig. If I want to make an egg, I just pull one out and cook. My wife is particular in picking up far out date perishables.

I would think you should be good at least a week, maybe two after "sell date" as there is some consumption time built into that date. Add pre boiling and you've got more time. The only thing that could be an issue is taste. As already pointed out, they will absorb odors, so if you have smelly stuff in the frig (who doesn't) that can affect taste, but doesn't make them bad.

sell by dates apply to an unopened package (including eggs) that have been stored correctly,


once cooked, that date goes out the window,


generally speaking, my rule is 4 days,

if I have leftovers that long, they get tossed on the 4th day, earlier if they look , smell, or taste off

FWIW, I recently read that it's not necessary to store eggs in the refrigerator. Can't comment on how true that is because I only eat them at restaurants, scrambled.

flashguy

Another thing to consider is that Europeans don't refrigerate eggs as a rule with no ill effects. Just food for thought.

Jim

put en egg in a glass of cool water. if it floats pitch it. If it stays on the bottom on its side it is good, if it floats in middle of water use soon.

quote:

Originally posted by Jimbo54:
Another thing to consider is that Europeans don't refrigerate eggs as a rule with no ill effects. Just food for thought.

Jim

I'm sure that's correct but since they came from a chicken's ass I'm not taking any chances.

quote:

Originally posted by Jimbo54:
Another thing to consider is that Europeans don't refrigerate eggs as a rule with no ill effects. Just food for thought.

Jim

my grandmother never did, from the chicken to a basket on the counter, then to the skillet at breakfast,


same with butter and margarine ,

kept a stick in the butter dish on the table,

generally speaking, it was used up in a couple or 3 days so no worries

I've always relied on the float method as well.

quote:

Originally posted by NavyGuy:

quote:

Originally posted by Jimbo54:
Another thing to consider is that Europeans don't refrigerate eggs as a rule with no ill effects. Just food for thought.

Jim

I'm sure that's correct but since they came from a chicken's ass I'm not taking any chances.

Soda. Out the nose.

THANKS

here is a decent article on Eggs https://www.thehappychickencoo...s-freshly-laid-eggs/

It covers storage outside the refrigerator and It says in the refrigerator, you can store them up to 6 months.