Eggs are a staple food of every household refrigerator; they make easy, delicious, and versatile food for any meal. Most of us are always ready with a cartoon of eggs in our refrigerator for quick breakfast solutions.
But do you wonder how long eggs last in the fridge or how long they are stored in the refrigerator safe to eat? Then you have come to the right place. The eggs you brought from the supermarket have a “best by” date, which can also make you worry about their safety after crossing the date.
So, keep reading to learn how long eggs last in the refrigerator.
Reading the Dates on Your Egg Carton
Before you learn how long eggs last in the fridge, let us show you how to read the dates on an egg carton for a better understanding. Every egg carton comes with a different stamp for the best-before date.
Some cartons have “best buy” or “best sell,” while others will have “use by” or “best before” on them. As a result, people get confused about whether to eat those eggs after the date crosses. The Julian date is more reliable for understanding the safety of eggs and how long you can use them.
The Julian date is inscribed on the back of every egg carton just above or below the “best by” or “best sell.” The Julian date is the last three digits of the long set of numbers. It refers to the same date when the eggs were packed. Reading the Julian date is simple. For instance, if the last three digits are 365, it means it was packed on 31st December, and if it says 001, it means 1st January.
Also, the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) has an online available chart to help you read the Julian date of the packaging. Eggs are safe to use for a maximum of 5 weeks after crossing Julian’s date.
How to Keep Eggs in The Refrigerator?
For Europe and other non-American countries, keeping eggs at room temperature for a few days/weeks is normal. Also, in such a place, you will get your eggs from the market at room temperature. However, in the US, it is not possible to store eggs at room temperature. The main reason behind this is the cleaning process. According to USDA, eggs are washed and sanitized when they are sold in the market. It will help to prevent Salmonella contamination.
However, this sanitization also destroys the natural protection layer of the eggs, making them no longer suitable for room temperature. As a result, you need to always store your eggs in the fridge to keep them safe and usable. Fridge-temperature eggs can last 4-5 weeks, and you can use them without worrying about their safety. Remember to clean your eggs and store them in the refrigerator right away when you return from the grocery store.
Appropriate Temperature for Storing Eggs
When your eggs are in the fridge, ensuring they remain fresh involves keeping them at the right temperature and maintaining your appliance’s optimal condition. For instance, a ‘Samsung refrigerator reset‘ can be a crucial step if you notice your fridge isn’t cooling properly, affecting egg freshness.
This simple action can restore the ideal settings for egg storage. Keeping the fridge temperature too high or low is unsuitable for your eggs. The ideal refrigerator temperature for storing eggs is 40° Fahrenheit.
So, keeping your refrigerator’s temperature at 40°Fahrenheit or close to it to keep your eggs fresh and safe is best. Also, if you need, you can keep your eggs out of the refrigerator for up to two hours.
According to the USDA, eggs must not be kept outside the fridge for more than two hours. Keeping them out for more time will make your eggs sweat and increase the chances of bacterial growth. These bacteria can infiltrate inside the egg through the porous shells, making the egg unsafe to use. So, bring your eggs out from the refrigerator only two hours before you plan to cook them, not more than that. Also, avoid making your eggs sweat for long before you cook them.
How Long Do Eggs Last in The Refrigerator?
Eggs stored in the refrigerator last up to 5 to 6 weeks on average. However, if you want to make it last longer, there are a few things you can try. Eggs brought from the store are washed and sanitized according to USDA’s food safety regulations to prevent Salmonella contamination through eggs, which also destroys the natural protective layer of the eggs. Without this protection layer, eggs do not last long at room temperature ( only 2 hours). Even in the refrigerator, it lasts up to 5 to 6 weeks.
But when you get your eggs directly from the farm, they do not go through the harsh cleaning process that can destroy the natural protection layer. As a result, when you store these eggs in the refrigerator, they can last up to 6 months to 1 year. However, the longer you keep an egg, the more it degenerates.
Wrapping Up
Eggs are one of the popular food choices whether you are looking for a quick breakfast, a healthy snack, or a wholesome meal. And no wonder most of us have a cartoon of eggs stored in the kitchen refrigerator. However, the confusing date written as “best by” or “best sell” makes it more difficult to understand how long eggs last in the refrigerator or if they are safe to use.
Average eggs stored in the fridge last up to 5 to 6 weeks, but eggs brought from the store must not be kept outside the refrigerator for more than two hours.
