Can you get sick from eating an old egg?
Rachel Ellis
Published Jan 06, 2026
Eggs that are expired but not spoiled may still be perfectly fine to eat. However, eating old eggs that have been damaged or contaminated puts you at risk of getting sick from contracting the foodborne bacterium Salmonella.
How long after eating bad eggs will you get sick?
If an egg is bad, symptoms of illness appear within six to 48 hours and may include: Diarrhea. Stomach pain and cramps. Fever
What happens if you eat an old egg?
If a person has any doubt about whether an egg has gone bad, they should throw it out. The main risk of eating bad eggs is Salmonella infection, which can cause diarrhea, vomiting, and fever.
Can you eat eggs 2 months out of date?
According to the USDA: A "best if used by/before" date lets you know how long the eggs will be at their best taste and highest quality. You can definitely still eat eggs once this date has passed (as long as they aren't spoiled). A "sell-by" date lets the grocery store know how long it's okay to still sell the eggs.
What should I do if I ate a rotten egg?
In most cases, your body will recover from the symptoms of bad eggs within a few days. While you are sick, try to stay hydrated by drinking water, ginger ale or diluted sports drinks. If you are very old or young or have a compromised immune system, call your doctor.
21 related questions foundCan you eat 3 week old eggs?
As the weeks go on, eggs will continue to diminish in quality even if you refrigerate them. Still, as long as they remain free of contamination from bacteria or mold, they may still be safe to eat for days or weeks longer. Eggs have an average shelf life of 3–5 weeks.
What happens if you eat eggs that float?
If the air pocket becomes large enough, the egg may float. While this method may tell you whether an egg is fresh or old, it doesn't tell you whether an egg is good or bad (3). An egg can sink and still be bad, while an egg that floats may still be fine to eat (3).
How do you tell when eggs are bad?
Simply fill a bowl with cold tap water and place your eggs in it. If they sink to the bottom and lay flat on one side, they are fresh and good to eat. A bad egg will float because of the large air cell that forms at its base. Any floating eggs should be thrown out.
What does an expired egg look like?
If they sink to the bottom and lay flat on their sides, they're very fresh. If they're a few weeks old but still good to eat, they'll stand on one end at the bottom of the bowl. If they float to the surface, they're no longer fresh enough to eat.
How long are eggs good for after the sell by date on the carton?
Refrigerated raw shell eggs will keep without significant quality loss for about 4 to 5 weeks beyond the sell date or about 3 weeks after you bring them home. A general rule to follow is that any egg that looks or smells odd should NOT be used. Just crack each egg in a small bowl, smell it – your nose will tell you!
Can I use out of date eggs in a cake?
Regardless of what that date actually is, the optimal storage time for raw eggs in their shells, according to the USDA, is three to five weeks. So, if you've noticed your eggs are three weeks past their expiration date, you're technically good to go.
How do you know if an egg has Salmonella?
You can't tell if an egg has salmonella just by looking at it. The bacteria can be present inside an egg as well as on the shell. Cooking food thoroughly can kill salmonella. Be aware that runny, poached, or soft eggs aren't fully cooked — even if they are delicious.
What are the chances of getting Salmonella from eggs?
The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 1 in every 20,000 eggs are contaminated with Salmonella. Persons infected with Salmonella may experience diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, headache, nausea and vomiting.
Will bad eggs taste bad?
You might not necessarily get salmonella from bad eggs, but according to Emily Rubin RD, LDN at Thomas Jefferson University Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, they can be the cause of some pretty uncomfortable digestive symptoms like cramps and diarrhea. Plus, of course, they taste terrible.
Can you eat out of date eggs not refrigerated?
It is often noted that eggs are still good to eat long after the expiration date. But what is the ideal expiry date for eggs? “The shelf life of an unrefrigerated egg is 7 to 10 days and for refrigerated egg it's about 30 to 45 days,” notes Dr Batra.
How do you check if eggs are good?
The water test for egg freshness
First, fill a bowl or glass with about four inches of cold water and gently place your egg(s) inside. Very fresh eggs will sink to the bottom and lay on their sides. If an egg stays at the bottom but stands on its small end, it's still fine to eat; just not quite as fresh.
Can you hard boil rotten eggs?
How to Tell When Hard Boiled Eggs Go Bad. The most noticeable sign that a hard-cooked egg has gone bad is the odor. If the egg has any sort of unpleasant, sulfurous, or rotten smell, it has gone bad and should not be consumed.
Does a bad egg smell?
Eggs are often perfectly safe to eat past their sell-by date. If an egg floats in a bowl of water or has a sulfurous smell once cracked, it's no longer safe to eat. It's best to store eggs in their carton in the fridge and avoid washing or handling them.
When should you not eat an egg?
If the egg smells fine, doesn't float, and doesn't have a swishy sound, you're probably good to go—but there is one last sign that the egg could be bad: if you ever crack it and the egg white is discolored in any way (or excessively runny), it's no good.
Is it safe to eat eggs 10 days past expiration date?
Some egg cartons have sell-by dates on them, while others have expiration dates. Neither should be regarded as an indication of when the eggs are no longer safe to use. Both the Food and Drug Administration and Egg Safety Center agree that eggs are usually good for several weeks past the stamped date.
Can you eat eggs 6 days out of date?
In short, yes. It is safe to eat eggs after the recommended 'best before' date. And if you keep your eggs in the fridge, they are safe to eat up to three weeks after the given date. However, the taste and texture may be slightly different to what you're used to, and for certain dishes, freshest is best.
Can you get salmonella poisoning from hard boiled eggs?
After boiling eggs, decorating them, hunting them, and adding them to candy baskets, families need to make sure leftover hard boiled eggs are handled properly so no one gets sick. Eggs can cause food poisoning because salmonella is a common bacteria found in uncooked and unbroken eggs.
Do runny eggs have salmonella?
Do you like your eggs over easy, sunny side up or well done? For many Americans, sopping up runny yellow egg yolks with toast is a beloved breakfast ritual. Yet raw eggs can contain Salmonella Enteritidis - bacteria that can cause mild to severe gastrointestinal illness, short term or chronic arthritis, or even death.
Is salmonella in egg white or yolk?
Cooking reduces the number of bacteria present in an egg; however, an egg with a runny yolk still poses a greater risk than a completely cooked egg. Undercooked egg whites and yolks have been associated with outbreaks of Salmonella infections.
Why do eggs go rotten?
The presence of bacteria inside an egg is what eventually causes it to “go bad,” or rot. However, keeping an egg at refrigerator temperatures (below 40°F, or 4°C) slows the growth of bacteria and helps prevent it from penetrating the shell ( 5 , 6 ).