Can you eat eggs 10 days after the use-by date?
In this brief guide, we are going to answer the question “can you eat eggs 10 days after the use-by date” with an in-depth analysis of whether or not you can eat eggs that are past the use-by date. Moreover, we are going to discuss the health implications of eating a bad egg.
Can you eat eggs 10 days after the use-by date?
Generally, eggs come with a sell-by date and properly stored eggs stay good for several weeks past this printed date on them but whether or not you should eat eggs that are 10 days past the use-by date mainly depends upon your decision (you should do a sensory evaluation of eggs).
It is worth mentioning that the way you have stored your eggs also impacts the shelf life of the eggs. Generally, eggs last for about 3-5 weeks when stored properly in the fridge. You can even freeze your egg yolks or egg whites together or separately in plastic freezer bags and they can stay good in the freezer for about 10-12 months. But you should keep in mind never to freeze the whole egg with the shell as it can burst in the freezer.
Certain indicators differentiate between an old and a fresh egg. You should consider carrying out the following tests to reach a final verdict on whether or not your eggs are still safe to consume.
Floatation test
What you gotta do is fill a bowl with water and suspend your egg in it.
- If the eggs lay on the bottom of the bowl that means that they are fresh and you should go ahead and use them.
- If the eggs remain suspended or floating in the water that means that they are really old might already have gone bad, so it is better to discard such eggs.
- If your eggs do sink to the bottom of the bowl but they remain in an upright position, so it is an indication that the eggs are a few weeks old.
The eggshell is generally porous and the air can enter the egg through these pores. So the older the egg is the more will be the air content that has entered it. The air tends to make the egg lighter in weight therefore the older eggs float on the surface of the water rather than sinking and that is the principal lying behind this floatation test.
Appearance
Break the egg into a plate and notice its appearance.
If the egg white does not separate much from the bright orangish-yellow yolk then it means that your egg is fresh.
In case that the egg white gets more separated from the yolk means that your egg is past its prime time.
Sniff test
If you notice a sulfur-like, putrid smell while taking a sniff test of your egg then it is the indication of a bad egg and you should discard it.
Consistency
The egg whites of old eggs will have a thinner consistency. Moreover, their egg yolks will also be flattened.
Thus, you should consider the points discussed above while deciding whether or not you are going to devour eggs that are 10 days past the use-by date.
Other FAQs about Eggs which you may be interested in.
Can you get sick from eating bad eggs?
Can you get sick from eating raw eggs?
Health implications of eating bad eggs
Eating spoiled eggs can put you at the risk of many food-borne illnesses especially food poisoning. A spoiled egg can have bacteria like Salmonella in it and eating such an egg can cause vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain.
This condition can even worsen in vulnerable populations like children, the elderly, pregnant women, and immunocompromised people.
- Diarrhea is an indication of the body that a certain obnoxious agent has entered it. So consumption of bad eggs often causes diarrhea.
- Food poisoning after consuming an egg that is bacteria-laden is characterized by abdominal pain. Abdominal pain is also accompanied by vomiting and nausea in most cases.
- If you have consumed an egg that has microbial growth in it then you will experience nausea and vomiting which is the natural defense of the body to get rid of the unwanted harmful substance that has entered the body.
- Consuming a bad egg can also raise your body temperature and you can experience fever which is the natural defense mechanism of your body and is the indicator that something is off with your body.
It is worth mentioning that if you have accidentally eaten bacteria-laden eggs and are now suffering from diarrhea and vomiting then you should immediately take medical help and try to drink as much water as possible so that while the body is getting rid of the toxins in form of diarrhea and vomiting, the water that you drink will protect your body against dehydration that vomiting can otherwise result in.
Conclusion
In this brief guide, we answered the question “can you eat eggs 10 days after the use-by date” with an in-depth analysis of whether or not you can eat eggs that are past the use-by date. Moreover, we discussed the health implications of eating a bad egg.
Citations
https://www.thespruceeats.com/is-it-safe-to-eat-eggs-past-their-expiration-date-1389270#:~:text=Neither%20should%20be%20regarded%20as,weeks%20past%20the%20stamped%20date.
https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/a32096822/can-you-eat-expired-eggs/
https://whatscookingamerica.net/Q-A/EggsSell.htm
https://www.stilltasty.com/questions