How long do eggs last in the fridge?

By Paulo de VriesLast verified 2026-05-204 sources~6 min readhigh consensus

Raw eggs in shell: 3-5 weeks past purchase if refrigerated below 40°F (USDA). Hard-boiled eggs (in shell): 1 week. Separated yolks: 2-4 days. Separated whites: 4 days. Cracked + frozen eggs: 1 year. Float test detects bad eggs.

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The full answer

Eggs are among the most forgiving refrigerated foods — properly stored, they last weeks past the printed date. The shell is a natural antimicrobial barrier protected by the "bloom" (cuticle) layer. Eggs spoil slowly when refrigerated and provide multiple visual + smell signals before becoming unsafe.

**USDA + FDA standard guidelines:**

**Raw eggs in shell, refrigerated below 40°F:** - **3-5 weeks** past purchase date (USDA FoodKeeper) - **4-5 weeks** past pack date (printed Julian date 1-365 on carton) - Quality declines after 4 weeks but eggs are typically still safe

**Hard-boiled eggs:** - **In shell, refrigerated:** 1 week (7 days) - **Peeled, refrigerated:** 5 days - Note: peeled hard-boiled eggs spoil faster (no shell barrier)

**Separated eggs (raw):** - **Egg whites, refrigerated:** 4 days - **Egg yolks, refrigerated (covered in water):** 2-4 days - **Stored without water:** 2 days

**Beaten/scrambled raw eggs:** - **Refrigerated:** 2-3 days - **Frozen (beaten):** 1 year

**Frozen eggs:** - **Whole beaten + frozen:** 1 year - **Yolks frozen:** 1 year (add salt or sugar to prevent gel formation) - **Whites frozen:** 1 year - **Do NOT freeze eggs in shell** (will burst)

**Cooked egg dishes (quiche, omelets, frittatas):** - **Refrigerated:** 3-4 days - **Frozen:** 2-3 months

**The "best buy" vs. "safe" timeline:**

- **Best quality:** 3 weeks from purchase (firm whites, vibrant yolks) - **Acceptable quality:** 4-5 weeks from purchase (looser whites, still safe) - **Past safety threshold:** smell + float-test fail

**The Julian date on egg cartons:**

Egg cartons in the US have a 3-digit Julian date stamped — this is the **pack date**, not sell-by. Format: day 001 = Jan 1, day 365 = Dec 31. Eggs are safe **4-5 weeks past Julian pack date** when properly refrigerated.

The "Sell By" date is also printed — typically 30 days past pack date — but this is for the retailer, not safety.

**The float test (definitive bad-egg detector):**

Fill a bowl with cold water. Place the egg in:

- **Sinks horizontally on bottom:** very fresh (≤1 week) - **Sinks but stands upright:** still safe (1-3 weeks) - **Floats to surface:** discard — gas pockets formed from spoilage

The float test works because eggshells are slightly porous. Over time, air enters and water evaporates from inside. When enough air accumulates, the egg becomes buoyant.

**Other spoilage indicators:**

1. **Smell test (raw egg in shell):** crack into separate bowl, sniff. Sulfur/rotten = discard. 2. **Color of yolk:** typically yellow-orange; bright pink or green = discard 3. **Texture of white:** runny = older but safe; pinkish/iridescent + slimy = discard 4. **Shell cracks:** discard if cracked or significantly stained 5. **Yolk position:** centered + firm = fresh; sloppy + off-center = older but safe

**Refrigerator best practices for eggs:**

- Store in **original carton** (protects + preserves moisture) - Store in **main fridge body**, NOT door (temperature variation accelerates aging) - Keep at **≤40°F (4°C)** consistently - Don't wash eggs before storing (removes protective bloom) - US eggs are washed at the processing plant; this is why they MUST be refrigerated (bloom removed) - European eggs are NOT washed; can be stored at room temperature (bloom intact)

**The "wash or not wash" geographic split:**

- **USA + Canada + Japan:** wash eggs at factory → eggs MUST be refrigerated (bloom removed) - **EU + UK + Australia:** do NOT wash eggs → eggs can be room temperature for 2 weeks - This is why European recipes often call for room-temperature eggs (different storage culture)

**Special egg categories:**

**Pasteurized eggs (in shell):** - Slightly heat-treated to kill Salmonella - Same shelf life as regular: 3-5 weeks - Safe for raw consumption (Caesar dressing, eggnog, mayonnaise) - More expensive but recommended for at-risk consumers

**Eggs in cooked dishes (mayonnaise, custards, etc.):** - **Homemade mayonnaise:** 1 week refrigerated (raw eggs) - **Lemon curd / custard:** 1 week refrigerated - **Pickled eggs:** 3-4 months refrigerated (vinegar acts as preservative) - **Deviled eggs:** 2 days refrigerated

**Frozen egg storage notes:**

- **Whole beaten eggs:** mix gently, freeze in ice cube trays or freezer bags - **Yolks ONLY:** add 1/8 tsp salt OR 1.5 tsp sugar per 4 yolks (prevents gelling) - **Whites:** freeze plain, no additions needed - **Thaw:** refrigerator overnight, NOT room temperature

**Egg substitutes (Egg Beaters etc.):** - **Unopened:** 10 days past sell-by refrigerated - **Opened:** 3-5 days refrigerated - **Frozen:** 1 year

**Don't:** - Wash eggs before storing (US eggs already washed; further washing damages bloom further; EU/UK eggs lose room-temp stability if washed) - Store in fridge door (temperature variation) - Use eggs with cracked shells (bacteria entry point) - Use eggs that fail the float test - Eat eggs with off-smells or unusual colors - Refreeze previously frozen + thawed eggs

**Common mistakes:**

- **Trusting "best by" as a hard expiration:** eggs are typically safe 2+ weeks past - **Storing in egg door tray:** temperature varies; main body is better - **Not testing old eggs:** float test takes 30 seconds and confirms safety - **Cooking eggs from carton without checking:** smell-test before adding to recipe - **Freezing in shell:** results in burst shells + ruined eggs

**Salmonella + Egg Safety:**

Modern US egg supply has very low Salmonella risk (~1 in 20,000 eggs) due to required testing + pasteurization at distribution. Risk groups: - Elderly - Pregnant women - Immunocompromised - Young children

Should consume pasteurized eggs for any raw/undercooked preparations (Caesar dressing, eggnog, raw cookie dough, etc.). General population at very low risk.

**Cross-reference:** see /pages/how-long-does/milk-last for related dairy timing + /pages/how-long-does/chicken-fridge for protein refrigeration + /pages/what-temperature-for/cooking-chicken for cooking temperatures.

Most published references (USDA FoodKeeper App, FDA Refrigerator + Freezer Storage Chart, Egg Safety Center, American Egg Board, StillTasty) converge on 3-5 weeks past pack date for refrigerated raw eggs in shell, with the float test as the most reliable freshness indicator.

Time ranges by condition

Condition	Duration	Note
Raw eggs in shell (refrigerated)	3-5 weeks past purchase	—
Hard-boiled in shell	1 week	—
Hard-boiled peeled	5 days	—
Separated raw yolks (in water)	2-4 days	—
Separated raw whites	4 days	—
Frozen beaten eggs	1 year	—
Cooked egg dishes	3-4 days refrigerated	—

What changes the time

Pack date (Julian on carton). 4-5 weeks past Julian pack date = safety threshold
Storage location. Main fridge body lasts longer than door (consistent temp)
Float test. Sinks = fresh; stands upright = older but safe; floats = discard
Wash status. US-washed eggs require refrigeration; EU-unwashed eggs OK room temp 2 wks
Pasteurized vs. regular. Same shelf life but pasteurized are safe for raw consumption

Common questions

How can I tell if an egg is bad?

The float test is most reliable: fill a bowl with cold water and place the egg in. Fresh eggs sink horizontally; older but safe eggs sink and stand upright; bad eggs float to the surface. Also check: crack into separate bowl, sniff for sulfur smell, and look for unusual colors (greenish white, bright pink yolk). Eggs in cracked shells should also be discarded.

Why do US eggs need refrigeration but European eggs don't?

US eggs are washed at the processing plant, which removes the "bloom" (a natural antimicrobial coating). This makes the shell more permeable, so US-washed eggs MUST be refrigerated to prevent bacterial entry. European eggs are NOT washed — the bloom is preserved, allowing room-temperature storage for ~2 weeks. Different food safety philosophies, both work safely.

Are eggs past the Julian date still safe?

Yes, typically 4-5 weeks past the Julian pack date if refrigerated below 40°F. The "Sell By" date (also on carton, typically 30 days past Julian) is for the retailer. Eggs are safe 1-2 weeks past Sell By with proper storage. Use the float test to verify freshness before consuming older eggs.

Sources

We cite primary research, expert practice, and authoritative reference. Higher-tier sources weighted heavier. See methodology.

Tier 1 · peer-reviewed / governmentalTier 2 · editorial referenceTier 3 · named practitioner

T1USDA FoodKeeper App — Official US storage time database with eggs section
T1FDA Refrigerator + Freezer Storage Chart — Federal guidelines for egg refrigeration
T2Egg Safety Center — Industry safety standards + Salmonella prevention guidelines
T2American Egg Board — Industry shelf life + storage best practices

Why this page existsThis page exists because “How long do eggs last in the fridge?” is one of the recurring questions we measure across search queries + LLM crawls + reading depth. When enough asking accumulated, we wrote this answer with sources cited. The mechanism is the trust signal — see how it works.

What could change this answer

honest uncertainty

We don’t know your specific equipment, ingredient batch, or environment. This answer is the best directional estimate from cited sources. Here’s where it’s less certain:

5 factors shift the answer. Your specific pack date (julian on carton), storage location, float test (and more) can move this estimate in either direction. The table below shows the documented ranges.
Range spans 7 documented conditions. Pick the row that matches your scenario; halfway between two rows is your best estimate. The widest condition you can imagine is the safer upper bound.
Treat as a directional starting point. Real-world equipment, ingredient batch, and ambient conditions cause natural variance the table cannot capture. Use sensory checks (sight, smell, touch, internal temperature when relevant) alongside this answer — not instead of it.
Backed by 4 cited sources — verify if precision matters. See the Sources section for primary references. Cross-check the cited materials when stakes are high: commercial production, food safety, allergens, dietary or medical considerations.
Verified yesterday. If you found a better-sourced answer or our answer no longer matches reality, tell us — corrections are public and dated. The page exists to be accurate, not to be unchanged.

Cite this page

de Vries, P. (2026). How long do eggs last in the fridge?. AskedWell. Retrieved 2026-05-21, from https://askedwell.com/pages/how-long-does/eggs-last

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Last verified: 2026-05-20 · Published 2026-05-20

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