Eggs 101

Egg Storage, Freshness & Food Safety

 

Keep it Fresh: How to Store Eggs

Always Keep Eggs in their Carton

We know a lot of people like to throw away the egg carton when they get home and store their eggs in the little egg caddy that comes with your fridge or in a separate bowl. This may look pretty, but we recommend always storing your eggs in their original carton. Why? Firstly, the carton protects the eggs and prevents them from absorbing strong odours and flavours of other foods in your fridge through the thousands of tiny pores in the egg shell. Secondly, the Best Before Date is always visible to you so you can guarantee freshness. Lastly, eggs should always be stored with the large end up, the same way they are packaged in the carton. This helps the yolk remain centered.

Other tips for storing raw and cooked eggs:

Recommended Storage Times for Eggs

Fresh shell eggs By best before date
Leftover yolks or whites Within 2 to 4 days
Hard Boiled eggs Within 1 week
Prepared egg dishes Within 3 to 4 days
Pickled eggs Within 1 month
Frozen whole eggs (blended)              Within 4 months                           

 

How to Freeze Eggs

Did you know that you can freeze eggs? Certain kinds of raw and prepared eggs (not in their shells) can easily be frozen following these simple instructions:

Cooking with Frozen Eggs

To use frozen eggs for cooking or baking simply thaw them overnight in the refrigerator or under running cold water. Use the eggs as soon as they're thawed and only in dishes that will be thoroughly cooked. The following is a list of the recommended substitutions for raw egg.

 

Cooking Food Safely

When preparing perishable foods, including eggs, follow these four simple steps to make sure food is prepared safely:

  1. Clean - Wash hands and surfaces often. Proper hand washing may eliminate nearly half of all cases of food-borne illness.
  2. Chill - Refrigerate/freeze food promptly. Cold temperatures can prevent the growth of most types of harmful bacteria.
  3. Separate - Don’t cross-contaminate. Keep raw meat/poultry/seafood and their juices separate from one another and other food during storage and preparation.
  4. Cook - Cook meat, poultry and eggs to proper temperatures.


Here are a few more simple guidelines to follow when preparing and serving eggs:

How to tell if eggs are fresh

The easiest way to tell if your eggs are fresh is by the Best Before Date on your egg carton, so it’s best to always keep your eggs stored in their original carton. Here are a few more simple ways to determine the freshness of your eggs: