Eggs expired - what's the worst that can happen?

[natalie_ca]

 
I go by what my mother told me:  If they sink, they're fine. If they stand on end, cook them quick. If they float, toss them.

So this thread is saying that even if I have month old eggs in the fridge, I can cook?

I've had food poisoning.  Not sure I'd want to risk it.

 

I just finished off the last of the eggs that I bought back in March of this year; that's 5 months.  They have been kept in the fridge all that time.  They looked ok, they smelled ok, and they tasted ok.  And I'm still hear to type this message

As I said in my earlier post, a "best before" date is simply a guide, and not an indication that something is rotten and can't be eaten.  Use your senses to guide you. 

I have some Ricotta cheese in a container that I bought last year sometime. I haven't even looked at the date, but I know it's long past.  I plan on opening it next week to make lasagna. I'll know then if it's spoiled/mouldy.  But if it looks ok, tastes ok, and smells ok, I'm using it.   I don't believe in wasting good food based on a manufactures date. The owners of these companies make way more money than I do, so maybe they can afford to throw out good unspoiled food based on a date, but I can't, and even I could, I wouldn't.

 

[misty8723]

I don't waste the eggs (or food in general), we eat them before that much time goes by.  I don't buy them that often anyway, usually just when DH decides he wants an omelet or something.

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

 
I go by what my mother told me:  If they sink, they're fine. If they stand on end, cook them quick. If they float, toss them.

So this thread is saying that even if I have month old eggs in the fridge, I can cook?

I've had food poisoning.  Not sure I'd want to risk it.

 

that's exactly how i determine if my eggs are still good -- 'if they sink, they're fine...... if they float, toss them'. and i do occasionally get eggs that float -- which i do toss. but bear in mind that i only go grocery shopping once a month, so i buy a little extra eggs so i don't completely run out. lately i've found good ways/ways i like to make eggs that help use them up when i have extra that need using very soon. for example, deviled eggs, a quiche, and egg salad.

 

[Marvel Girl]

I'm glad this thread got started, because I was actually wondering this exact thing last night. Looks like I'm having eggs this weekend!

I'm glad, too! I just ate a couple of "iffy" eggs. I did the float test...But feeling a bit nauseous. Here's hoping!

 

[KatKnapper]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that germs in food make 48 million Americans sick every year — that's one out of six people. About 128,000 are made sick enough to be hospitalized, and 3,000 die.

Among the worst outbreaks in recent years:

• An outbreak of listeria traced to cantaloupe that affected at least 147 people and killed 33 of them in 2011;
• A 2012 outbreak of listeria traced to ricotta cheese that sickened 22 people and killed four;
• A 2015 outbreak of listeria from caramel apples that made 35 people sick and killed seven of them.

I always ask myself...Is my good health or a hospital stay worth the cost of this dated food product? Then I recall the time I ate something that wasn't kept properly, and how sick it made me. Never again!

 

[Marvel Girl]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that germs in food make 48 million Americans sick every year — that's one out of six people. About 128,000 are made sick enough to be hospitalized, and 3,000 die.

Among the worst outbreaks in recent years:

• An outbreak of listeria traced to cantaloupe that affected at least 147 people and killed 33 of them in 2011;
• A 2012 outbreak of listeria traced to ricotta cheese that sickened 22 people and killed four;
• A 2015 outbreak of listeria from caramel apples that made 35 people sick and killed seven of them.

I always ask myself...Is my good health or a hospital stay worth the cost of this dated food product? Then I recall the time I ate something that wasn't kept properly, and how sick it made me. Never again!

You don't just make good points, you are absolutely right! I'm not going to do this again...I had a small stomach ache and I won't be taking chances again. Lol It's just not worth it!

 

[Willowy]

But at the same time, disposal of "expired" foods costs billions every year and wastes needed food :/. Americans throw away almost half (40%) of food produced, the majority of that is aftermarket (premarket stuff usually goes to pet food or livestock food or biofuel). Spoilage bacteria is usually not dangerous. The dangerous bacteria like listeria and salmonella don't come from spoilage, but from contamination, although the longer it sits the more the bacteria multiply.

Eggs are really one of the least dangerous foods, especially since we usually eat them cooked. Eggshells are extremely efficient at keeping bacteria out, otherwise live eggs in the nest (with all the poop and dirt and stuff) would get sick and die all the time, and we wouldn't have enough birds in the world! So, basically, if an egg smells OK and looks OK (after you crack it) and you're going to cook it, you'll be fine. Prepared foods like pasta/potato salads, precut fruits and veggies, or deli meats are much, much more likely to be contaminated, due to all the handling causing more oppotunities for contamination.

Mother Earth News, after finding a historical document saying that eggs were stored for long periods of time, uncooled, in barrels packed with sawdust, did an experiment. They stored eggs in various ways for various amounts of time. They ate eggs that had been unrefrigerated for a year, and the unspoiled eggs didn't make anyone sick (the spoiled ones were easy to identify!). Not that I recommend doing that. But they're definitely safe for a decent amount of time after the date on the carton.

 

[kittens mom]

Hey all,
so I have eggs that expired about a month and a couple of days ago.. and.. I wanna boil them. I'm starving and have no car with which to get around and it's cold outside. So!

What's the worst that can happen? My boyfriend swears that eggs never go bad unless they smell, and these don't, so.. hmmmm...

if I end up with food poisoning, I'll let you know! ^_^;

I haven't read through the whole thread. Pan of cold water. Fresh eggs lay on their sides. Older eggs stand on their ends. Bad eggs float. Older eggs that stand on their ends are fine for making egg salad. Any egg that floats is too old to use.