How to tell if eggs are bad, and how long eggs last
Raw eggs in the shell keep 3 to 5 weeks in the fridge, and hard-boiled eggs keep 1 week. Here is how to check an egg, what the float test shows, how US and UK storage advice differs, and how to freeze eggs.
Short answer: Crack the egg into a bowl, then look and smell before you use it. The USDA says a spoiled egg has an unpleasant odor when you break the shell, raw or cooked, and a pink or iridescent white is a sign of spoilage. Raw eggs in the shell keep 3 to 5 weeks in the fridge from the day you buy them; hard-boiled eggs keep 1 week. An egg that floats in water is old, which is not the same as bad.
How long eggs last in the fridge and freezer
US guidance from the USDA’s egg storage chart and the government’s cold food storage chart, for a fridge at 40 °F (4 °C) or below and a freezer at 0 °F (−18 °C) or below.
| Eggs | Fridge | Freezer |
|---|---|---|
| Raw eggs in the shell | 3 to 5 weeks | Not in the shell: beat yolks and whites together, then freeze |
| Raw egg whites | 2 to 4 days | 12 months |
| Raw egg yolks | 2 to 4 days | Yolks do not freeze well |
| Hard-boiled eggs | 1 week | Do not freeze |
| Raw egg frozen in the shell by accident | Use straight after thawing | Keep frozen, then thaw in the fridge; throw it out if the shell cracked |
| Liquid egg substitute, opened | 3 days | Do not freeze |
| Casseroles made with eggs, once baked | 3 to 4 days | 2 to 3 months |
| Quiche, once baked | 3 to 4 days | 1 to 2 months |
How PantryWeave keeps track of your eggs
Kitchen keeps your eggs, and everything else you buy, where they belong.
From the store straight to Kitchen
In the store you follow the list on screen. Afterwards you correct only the amounts you actually bought, and they go straight into Kitchen, each to the right place: fridge, freezer or pantry.
A use-by day that fits the shelf
Freshness, or the suggested day to use something by, is tracked by where it is stored, and Kitchen shows where each item should be kept.
What to cook next
Badges such as “Use in 2d” and a Use first shelf show what needs using soon. Mark a meal as cooked, confirm when PantryWeave asks, and Kitchen stock updates on its own.
An estimate, not an official date
The freshness check is an estimate. For eggs, use the official times on this page and crack each egg into a bowl before you cook with it.
How to tell if an egg is still good
- Count the weeks. Raw eggs keep 3 to 5 weeks in the fridge from the day you buy them, according to the USDA’s FoodKeeper.
- Crack it into a bowl. Check for an off odor or anything unusual before you decide to use it or throw it out. A spoiled egg smells unpleasant as soon as the shell breaks, whether it is raw or cooked.
- Look at the white. A pink or iridescent white means spoilage caused by Pseudomonas bacteria.
- Don’t worry about a green ring. A green ring around a hard-boiled yolk comes from overcooking or from iron in the cooking water, and the USDA says it can be eaten.
- Start with good shells. Buy eggs from a refrigerated case, with clean, uncracked shells.
Does the egg float test work?
It tells you how old an egg is, not whether it has gone bad. As an egg ages, its air cell grows, and once the cell is big enough the egg floats. The USDA says a floating egg is of poor quality but may still be fine to use, so crack it into a bowl and check it. The UK’s Food Standards Agency does not suggest the float test at all, because it measures age and can’t show which bacteria have grown inside.
How long do eggs last in the fridge?
3 to 5 weeks for raw eggs in the shell. Where you put them matters: the USDA says to keep eggs in their carton in the coldest part of the fridge, not in the door, at 40 °F or below. Once eggs have been in the fridge, don’t leave them out for more than 2 hours. Dishes made with raw eggs should be cooked straight away, or refrigerated and cooked within 24 hours.
How long are eggs good after the sell-by date?
Dates on US cartons are often stock-control dates: the USDA says egg processors typically print them for rotating stock or controlling inventory. If a carton carries an “EXP” or “Sell By” date, it can be no more than 30 days after the eggs were packed, while FoodKeeper’s 3 to 5 weeks count from the day you buy them.
UK eggs carry a best before date. The Food Standards Agency says you can use eggs a couple of days after it in cooking or baking, as long as both the white and the yolk are cooked thoroughly.
Do eggs need to be refrigerated? US and UK advice
In the US, yes. Most eggs are washed at the plant, often followed by a sanitizing step, and FSIS checks that cartons packed for shoppers say “Keep Refrigerated”. Eggs are kept cold from the farm to the store, and once refrigerated they need to stay that way: a cold egg left out at room temperature can sweat, which helps bacteria move into the egg.
In the UK, ideally. The Food Standards Agency’s advice is a cool, dry place, ideally the fridge, away from big swings in temperature, because condensation on the shell makes it easier for Salmonella to get inside. Its fridge guide suggests the egg tray, if your fridge has one, to keep eggs apart from other food.
So both countries point to the fridge; the US makes it a firm rule.
How long are hard-boiled eggs good for?
1 week in the fridge, and they should not be frozen. The USDA explains why they keep for less time than raw eggs: hard-cooking leaves a thin layer of water under the shell, which helps bacteria grow. Refrigerate hard-boiled eggs within 2 hours of cooking. Got a few to use up? See recipes with eggs.
Can you freeze eggs?
Yes, out of the shell. US guidance is to beat the yolks and whites together and freeze them; whites on their own keep 12 months in the freezer, while yolks do not freeze well. The FSA suggests cracking eggs into a container, sealing it and labeling it; beaten first, they are ready for scrambled eggs or an omelette. An egg frozen in its shell by accident can be thawed in the fridge and used straight away, unless the shell has cracked.
Where the numbers come from
Read on October 30, 2026.
- USDA FSIS: Shell Eggs from Farm to Table (storage chart, spoilage signs, float test, refrigeration, carton dates)
- USDA FoodKeeper (3 to 5 weeks from the day you buy them)
- US government cold food storage chart (freezing eggs, eggs frozen in the shell)
- Food Standards Agency: home food fact checker (the float test, the best before date, storing and freezing eggs)
- Food Standards Agency: chilling, freezing and defrosting (the egg tray)
Frequently asked questions
How do you tell if eggs are bad?
Crack the egg into a bowl and check it. According to the USDA, a spoiled egg has an unpleasant odor when the shell is broken, raw or cooked, and a pink or iridescent white is a sign of spoilage.
How long do eggs last in the fridge?
3 to 5 weeks for raw eggs in the shell, counted from the day you buy them, according to the USDA’s FoodKeeper. Keep them in their carton in the coldest part of the fridge.
How long are hard-boiled eggs good for?
1 week in the fridge, according to the USDA. Refrigerate them within 2 hours of cooking, and don’t freeze them.
Does the egg float test work?
Only as a sign of age. A floating egg has a large air cell, so it is old; the USDA says it may still be fine to use once you crack it and check it, and the UK’s Food Standards Agency does not suggest the test.
How long are eggs good after the sell-by date?
US sell-by and EXP dates are at most 30 days after packing; FoodKeeper counts 3 to 5 weeks from the day you buy the eggs. In the UK, the FSA says eggs can be used a couple of days after the best before date in cooking or baking.
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