What does the date on eggs actually mean?

Eggs are among the most commonly thrown away foods and among the longest-lasting, largely because the date on the box is misunderstood.

Safety

Step by step

1. Know which date it is.Eggs have a best-before, not a use-by. Best-before is a quality marker; use-by is a safety deadline. That distinction is the whole thing.
2. Understand the 28 days.UK eggs are marked best-before 28 days from laying. It is a regulatory convention rather than the point at which they become unsafe.
3. Use the float test as a freshness guide.In a bowl of water: fresh eggs lie flat on the bottom, older ones tilt up, and one that floats has a large air cell and is old. Floating means old, not automatically unsafe — but it is the point to be careful.
4. Crack each egg into a bowl separately.The most reliable test there is. A bad egg smells unmistakably and immediately, and cracking separately means one does not ruin the batch.
5. Read the appearance.A fresh egg has a domed yolk and thick white that holds together. An older one spreads flat. That is a quality difference — poaching wants fresh, boiling and peeling is easier with older.
6. Trust your nose absolutely.A spoiled egg is not subtle. If it smells wrong, discard it, whatever the date says.
7. Keep them refrigerated once they are.UK shops sell eggs unrefrigerated, and either is acceptable at home. What matters is consistency — moving them in and out causes condensation, which lets bacteria through the shell.
8. Store them pointed end down.It keeps the yolk centred and the air cell at the top, which extends quality. In the box rather than a fridge door rack, which is the warmest and most jostled spot.
9. Keep them in the box.It protects them from knocks and from absorbing strong smells, which eggshells do readily.
10. Discard any cracked egg.The shell is the barrier. A crack lets bacteria in, and the risk is not worth one egg.
11. Cook older eggs thoroughly.Well past the date, use them where they will be cooked through — baking, an omelette, a quiche — rather than soft-boiled or raw in a mayonnaise.
12. Look for the Lion mark for raw uses.British Lion eggs are vaccinated against salmonella and are considered safe for vulnerable groups to eat raw or lightly cooked. That is the relevant marking for a mousse or a mayonnaise.
13. Freeze surplus eggs.Not in the shell. Beaten whole, or whites and yolks separately, in an ice cube tray. They keep several months and are fine for baking.

Tips

• Best-before, not use-by. Eggs are usually good for a week or two beyond it if refrigerated.
• Crack each one into a bowl on its own. A bad egg announces itself and you save the rest.
• Older eggs peel much more easily after boiling. Save the freshest for poaching.

Common mistakes

• Throwing eggs away on the best-before date — It is a quality marker, not a safety deadline. Refrigerated eggs are commonly fine well beyond it, and the smell test is far more informative.
• Moving eggs in and out of the fridge — The temperature change causes condensation on the shell, and moisture helps bacteria pass through it. Pick refrigerated or not, and keep to it.

If it doesn't work