To eat Eggs best before 21march?

[holdonfor1moreday]

Just that really. They are organic and have been stored in the fridge

[Vixxfacee]

Nope.

[LittleBearPad]

They'll be fine. I don't pay much attention to dates in eggs. If they're off, you'll know.

Plus it's a best before date not a use by date

[LemonEmmaP]

They should be fine...pop them in a bowl of water and as long as they sink they are fine. The eggs in my fridge were all best before February and I intend eating them.

[holdonfor1moreday]

I've tried the float test and they sink in the bottom of the pan. So fine right?

[BaskingTrout]

best before means they might have lost a bit of their quality but will still be safe to eat after that date, I think. its the "use by" date that is more important. and 4 days late for eggs is nothing. to be honest, we would probably still eat ones best before 21 February. when you crack an egg, if its bad, you'll know about it.

[theelephantknownasnell]

I never take any notice of dates on eggs, just do the water test to see if they're off.

You've said yourself its a best before not use by date anyway.

[Mooseville]

Fine as long as they don't float!

[liz70]

If they smell okay when raw, then still smell, and taste okay when (well) cooked, then I would eat them. Organic or not. I do have a pretty cast iron constitution, though. Your nose and taste buds should be your guide. Best before is a recommendation; it's not mandatory.

[bibbitybobbityyhat]

Yes, eggs have only had to have a best before date for a few years.

I think they are given 4 weeks at least since the date they were laid, so 4 days over really is not going to be a problem.

[toots111]

For some reason I thought this was about Easter eggs. MmM, chocolate :)

[holdonfor1moreday]

X post Emma! Great I'm eating them , too expensive to waste.

I'm hard boiling so they would still smell if off when I peal right?

[DisappointedOne]

Mine are never refrigerated and yesterday's breakfast egg had BB of 8th Feb. Have suffered no ill effects.

[Trills]

If the eggs are bad, you will KNOW IT when you crack them open.

[Pedestriana]

I laugh in the face of 'best before' dates. They're just guidance - they don't mean that on the stroke of midnight whatever it is will go rancid - they mean whatever it is will be at its best up to and including that date. If the eggs sink in cold water, they're fine.

[CantChoose]

I never look at the dates on eggs and I'm still alive ;)

YABU to keep them in the fridge though. I'm sure this will get me shot down by other posters...

I was told at school it's to do with how they are processed and it depends which country you are in but uk eggs should be kept outside the fridge. US eggs, for example, need to be refrigerated.

[NannyR]

I regularly eat unrefrigerated eggs two or three weeks past the best before dates with no ill effects, as previous posters have said you can tell when an egg is off immediately.

[MartinaJ]

I never look at dates of eggs. Unless they are completely ancient, they are totally OK. You'll smell a wonky egg alright.

[unlucky83]

Like previous posters - I rarely eat eggs that actually are in date...I do keep them in the fridge though cos it must make them last longer and sometimes they are months out of date.
My grandparents had a farm that sold eggs - kept in a cool room but not refrigerated -supermarkets don't keep eggs in chiller cabinets do they? And my dad (grew up there) doesn't store eggs in the fridge and ignores BB dates...
Believe me you'd know if it was a rotten egg...they really do stink.

[RubbleBubble00]

I always just float test mine, never look at expiry

[WhatALoadOfOldBollocks]

No wonder there is so much food waste when people still get concerned about food that is only a few days beyond the flippin "best before" date, which is totally different from "use by". It's a pet peeve of mine, sorry. Anyway, here's some guidance from the NHS (and although salmonella is mentioned it also says it's not a problem if the eggs are cooked properly):

"Best before" dates are about quality, not safety. When the date is passed, it doesn't mean that the food will be harmful, but it might begin to lose its flavour and texture.

Eggs have a shelf life of 28 days (from date laid to best before date). By law, eggs must reach the final consumer within 21 days from the date they have been laid. This date is known as the sell-by date.

After this date, the quality of the egg will deteriorate and if any salmonella bacteria are present, they could multiply to high levels and could make a person ill. This means that eggs need to be delivered to the consumer at least seven days before the best before date. The consumer then has seven days to use the eggs at home.

Eggs should be cooked thoroughly until both yolk and white are solid, or if they are used in dishes where they will be fully cooked such as a cake.

Cooking eggs until both the white and yolk are solid will kill any bacteria, such as salmonella. People who are in "at-risk" groups should only eat eggs, or food containing eggs, that have been thoroughly cooked. These groups include:

babies and toddlers
elderly people
pregnant women
people who are already unwell

Every year in the UK we throw away 7.2m tonnes of food and drink, most of which could have been eaten. So think carefully before throwing away food past its "best before" date.

Remember, the "best before" date will only be accurate if the food is stored according to the instructions on the label, such as "store in a cool dry place" or "keep in the fridge once opened".
From www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/food-labelling-terms.aspx

[unlucky83]

What I agree - a lot of ignorance about what is good to eat and an absence of common sense...
A friend once asked me if I thought they could use just sprouting potatoes for mash ...especially cos they thought they were probably past their bb date...
I think people have to remember before global imports and all year round availability people used to store eg apples for month and months...

[cdtaylornats]

In the US eggs are washed so they lose the coating that keeps out bacteria. In the UK any egg with a red lion is from a vaccinated flock and will be unwashed.

If you keep an egg in the fridge it can absorb strong flavours like cheese or truffle.

[holdonfor1moreday]

I agree about waste. The reason I asked is I'm more warey of eggs as they can be more dodgy.

I've cooked all dozen, plan to have the other three tomorrow. Kept them in the fridge now cooked and pewled.

[londonrach]

Yes but i pop them in a bowl of cold water first. If they float i bin them. If they sink i crack open into a bowl and given them a sniff. If off egg smell i bin them, if smell ok they get used!