How Long Are Hard Boiled Eggs Good (And Why)?

How Long Are Hard Boiled Eggs Good (And Why)?

Exact Answer: 1 Week

The egg is an essential part of our diet. It is a versatile and nutritious food that can form the basis for many dishes such as scrambled eggs, omelets, pasta, cakes, and quiches. They are also a great source of protein, calcium, and several vitamins and nutrients. It is a filling meal as you have noticed that eating eggs for breakfast keeps you feeling fuller for a long time.

Many people prefer hard-boiled eggs over soft-boiled eggs. A hard-boiled egg is an egg cooked so that both the white and yolk are solid. If you have hard-boiled eggs as a snack, it keeps you satisfied after or between the meals. A soft-boiled egg is one where only the white has turned solid. Boiled eggs can be eaten hot or cold and they require no preparation other than cooking time. Eggs have a shorter level of shelf life if refrigerated. While this is not an immediate concern for the home cook, it is important to remember that eggs will continue to deteriorate if they are refrigerated.

How Long Are Hard Boiled Eggs Good

How Long Are Hard Boiled Eggs Good?

Types Of Hard Boiled EggsShelf Life
Peeled Hard-boiled Eggs5 Days
Unpeeled Hard-boiled Eggs7 Days

If you’ve boiled eggs for a party or another occasion, they just have one week until you should think twice about eating it. Unpeeled hard-boiled eggs can be preserved up to for one week in the refrigerator. Peeled hard-cooked eggs should be consumed within 3-4 days due to the egg white surface being exposed and the potential for microorganism growth.

If you’re unsure how long your hard-boiled eggs have been stored, check the appearance of the eggs. If the eggshell looks slimy or chalky appearance, it’s better to throw them out. Many people get tensed when the yolk of a hard-boiled egg turns greenish-grey in color. It doesn’t mean that egg has gone bad.

Cooking time will determine the color of your eggs. Lightly cooked eggs are easier to peel than overcooked hard-boiled eggs. Overcooked eggs have a green coating on them because the egg yolk contains iron and when iron meets the hydrogen sulfide gas, it combines with it to form iron sulfide, which gives the yolk the green outer lining.

It’s important not to eat eggs that pass best their time, as this can put you at risk of foodborne illness with symptoms like diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Spoiled eggs may leave an unpleasant odor. If the egg still has the shell on, you need to crack it to assess the smell.

Why Do Hard Boiled Eggs Stay Good For That Long?

Hard-boiled eggs are last that long because they are easily prone to bacteria. Raw eggs last for 5 weeks at room temperature because eggshells are perishable, bacteria can easily enter them. While hard-boiled eggs can last long for 7 days.

The hard-boiled eggs can only last for two hours at room temperature between 40 and 140° F. Because the temperature range is where dangerous bacteria grow most quickly. So eat hard-boiled eggs as soon after cooking or taking them out of the refrigerator.

Before eggs are sold in the markets, the suppliers undergo a sterilization process. The eggs are washed in hot water, soapy water, and sprayed with a disinfectant. This method helps to kill the bacteria found on eggshells. The washing process removes the cuticle of the egg, a thin layer that protects the eggshell.

Many factors can affect how long eggs last. If properly handled and stored, eggs rarely spoil. But, if you keep them too long they will dry up. Refrigeration of hard-boiled eggs prevents eggs from spoiling or contaminating.

Conclusion

Refrigeration is very effective in preserving quality. It’s better to wait to peel hard-boiled eggs until you’re ready to eat or use them in any recipe. If eggs are peeled then it’s recommended to keep them in an air-tight container along with a damp paper towel to prevent them from drying out.

It’s also best to store them in a carton or an airtight container. Hard-boiled eggs should be kept on an inside shelf rather than in the door, as frequent opening and closing of the fridge may cause the temperatures in this spot to fluctuate.

References

  1. https://journals.healio.com/doi/abs/10.3928/1542-8877-19891201-04
  2. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1750-3841.2008.00776.x

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