Regarding eggs: about how long do eggs really last? I would like to take advantage of egg sales, but I always wonder how fresh these are .

ChefOno added 9 months ago

Voted the Best Answer!

How long an egg lasts is very much dependent upon its care and handling. Time, temperature, humidity and jostling during transport all have an effect on egg quality. (Agitation during storage is an issue too, which is why you shouldn't keep them in your refrigerator door.)

USDA regulations state the sell-by date may be up to 45 days from the pack date (some state regs may be less) and recommends using them (properly refrigerated) within 3-5 weeks of purchase. Sometimes you'll find a packing date in Julian format. USDA grading is one indication of quality but since the system isn't foolproof, there are variations allowed.

The float test will give you an idea of how fresh an egg is. As an egg ages, it loses moisture due to evaporation. As that happens, the air cell inside the shell expands and the egg has an increasing tendency to float. Floaters are old.

• 5 People think this is an excellent answer
• Reply
• Flag this answer for inappropriate content

pierino is a trusted source on General Cooking and Tough Love.

added 9 months ago

I'm glad ChefOno still has the boilerplate down on this topic because it is exactly right.

• 2 People think this is an excellent answer
• Reply
• Flag this answer for inappropriate content