# Egg Sell-By date - sorry but I have to ask



## OldFart (Oct 22, 2008)

If I have some eggs that have a "sell by" date of Oct. 21 can I expect them to still be good for another 2 weeks? I've had them for a couple of weeks already.

I did find this in a Google search and was wondering if it's true or not.*

"Proper storage extends egg safety*





03-Jun-2004 - Egg quality and usefulness can be safely maintained beyond the sell-by date if the eggs are stored properly - indeed, they can be safely consumed up to four or five weeks beyond the recommended use-by date, claim US researchers this week."

Thanks for any help and clarification. I thought eggs had a storage total of 30 days. Please forgive the simplistic newbie question.


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## sparrowgrass (Oct 22, 2008)

They will be perfectly safe to eat.  I have found that if they are way (month or two) out of date, they will taste like refrigerator, but they are not spoiled.

I have chickens, and once in a while, they will lay a tiny little egg.  I set those on the windowsill and, after a month or two, they dry up and I use them for decoration.  They never spoil or smell bad.

Rotten eggs are unmistakeable, and thankfully, very rare.  I think I have only cracked one rotten egg in my long career as a cook.


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## OldFart (Oct 22, 2008)

Thank You!


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## DramaQueen (Oct 22, 2008)

*I buy 2 cartons of eggs at a time and mark the "sell by" date on one carton. A week after that date I make hard boiled eggs. They are still fine but because they're older the shells just peel off easily. Eggs can be kept for 3 weeks after the sell by date. *


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## OldFart (Oct 22, 2008)

Thanks! You folks have saved me from eating eggs for every meal for the next few days!! Wasn't looking forward to that!


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## miniman (Oct 22, 2008)

You can always check eggs by putting them in a bowl of water. Fresh eggs stay at the bottom, older eggs point upwards and rotten eggs float.


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## jpmcgrew (Oct 22, 2008)

sparrowgrass said:


> They will be perfectly safe to eat. I have found that if they are way (month or two) out of date, they will taste like refrigerator, but they are not spoiled.
> 
> I have chickens, and once in a while, they will lay a tiny little egg. I set those on the windowsill and, after a month or two, they dry up and I use them for decoration. They never spoil or smell bad.
> 
> Rotten eggs are unmistakeable, and thankfully, very rare. I think I have only cracked one rotten egg in my long career as a cook.


 
 I also have only once cracked a rotten egg and it's something I never want to smell again it's awful. It was one of the last ones for quiche I had to throw them all away and start over..


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## jpmcgrew (Oct 22, 2008)

You also want to store your eggs in the original container not in the egg tray that comes with your fridge they keep better that way.


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## BreezyCooking (Oct 22, 2008)

Miniman - eggs that float aren't necessarily "rotten".  As eggs get older, the air space inside increases - that's what makes them float.


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## OldFart (Oct 22, 2008)

Thanks all! I knew with a membership of over 20,000 great cooks I'd learn what I need to know!

I have been storing them in the original containers. I read to keep them in the coldest part of the fridge and the door trays seem like they would be the warmest part of the fridge. 

Thanks for the great help!


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## pacanis (Oct 22, 2008)

OldFart said:


> Thanks all! I knew with a membership of over 20,000 great cooks I'd learn what I need to know!
> 
> I have been storing them in the original containers. I read to keep them in the coldest part of the fridge and the door trays seem like they would be the warmest part of the fridge.
> 
> Thanks for the great help!


 
Gee.... you mean we coulda had you eating eggs every meal for the next couple days?

I tried to keep my eggs in the "original container", but the hens didn't want noooo part of that.


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## OldFart (Oct 22, 2008)

pacanis

HA! I like it! I guess it would be kinda difficult to use the "ORIGINAL" carton.

And yes, I was about to eat a heck of a lot of eggs the next couple of days! I really like your funky chicken!

Hows the new smoker going? Are you going to smoke some fish? Pick me up on your next trip to the AuSable and I'll help you catch a few!


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## GhettoRacingKid (Oct 22, 2008)

Welcome aboard old fart.

I think the older eggs effected baked goods.  That is clicking in my head some how but im not 100%. 

Any one hear of that?


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## Constance (Oct 22, 2008)

During the gold rush, they used to pack eggs in sawdust and haul them up to Alaska in covered wagons. They got $1 apiece for them.

Honestly, they do keep a long time. Just make sure they don't have any cracks in the shell that might let bacteria in. 

My ex-MIL used to work for a small egg company here (35 years ago), and they called the cracked ones leakies. The ladies used to take some home with them when they were going to do some baking right away, and I made my family a lot of cakes, cookies and custard pies from those free eggs. I'm sure that would be a totally incorrect thing to do in this day and age.


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## GhettoRacingKid (Oct 22, 2008)

constance im thinking of all the merquines, custards and such that we could all make.

ahh eggs.


is there anything they cant do?


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## pacanis (Oct 22, 2008)

That's pretty cool trivia Constance. I wonder if they packed them alongside the nitro (lol)

OldFart, So far just the one burn. Gonna do half a pork but this weekend. And..... today I picked up the fixins for ABTs!  AuSable? Lost me. I would like to take up fishing again though. Since getting rid of the boat(s) I stopped  :^(


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## OldFart (Oct 23, 2008)

pacanis said:


> AuSable? Lost me. I would like to take up fishing again though. Since getting rid of the boat(s) I stopped  :^(



Sorry, I got you confused with a fellow from another thread.


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## DramaQueen (Oct 23, 2008)

BreezyCooking said:


> Miniman - eggs that float aren't necessarily "rotten". As eggs get older, the air space inside increases - that's what makes them float.


 
*You got that right Breezy and it's also the reason they peel so easily. *


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## BreezyCooking (Oct 23, 2008)

Oh Lord - peeling truly fresh eggs is a travesty unless you only want the yolks & have no problem with having to toss out the mangled, shell-covered whites - lol!!


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