Eggs are a staple food in many homes. In 2025, the United States consumed an average of 259 eggs per person. While generally safe, all eggs have the risk of carrying Salmonella bacteria, which can make you sick.
This page offers steps on how to purchase, store, and prepare eggs safely.
Why is Salmonella a concern for eggs?
Salmonella is a natural part of a chicken's digestive tract, which can contaminate eggs, chicken meat and other farm products.
Because Salmonella doesn't make hens sick, and the bacteria can exist in uncracked, whole eggs, it's difficult to detect. If your kitchen is cross-contaminated with Salmonella from raw eggs, poultry or meat, it can survive for months on surfaces and food items, including dried goods like:
- Flour
- Uncooked pasta
- Spices
The risk of cross-contamination can be minimized by using safe food handling practices.
Buying eggs
- Be sure eggs are clean and not cracked.
- Avoid eggs with water condensation on the outside of the shell. This could be a sign that the eggs were previously stored in the refrigerator and have been at room temperature.
Regular eggs
- In the United States eggs purchased from a store will be refrigerated.
- Prior to being delivered to a store for sale, egg processors follow a spray-wash, sanitizing rinse, and air-drying procedure.
- The eggs must then be refrigerated at 45 degrees Fahrenheit or below to minimize food safety risk and quality.
Pasteurized eggs
- Pasteurized shell eggs have been gently heated to a specific temperature, for a specific amount of time that has been research-tested to inactivate Salmonella. This process does not cook the eggs.
- The carton will be labeled “pasteurized” and the eggs may be stamped with the letter ‘P’.
- Many institutions who serve older adults and young children will use pasteurized eggs.
- Egg products, such as liquid eggs and dried egg products, are always pasteurized.
- Pasteurized eggs cost more.
- In Minnesota, eggs sold at a farmers’ market must be transported and held at 45 degrees Fahrenheit or below.
- Eggs can be held in coolers with ice packs or in a mechanical refrigerator unit.
- Avoid eggs that are displayed directly on tables.
- Avoid eggs that are held in coolers with loose ice. As the ice melts, the melt water can impact the safety and quality of the eggs.
- In Minnesota, eggs purchased directly at the farm or property where the eggs were produced, are not required to be refrigerated for sale.
- Avoid eggs that were refrigerated for storage and held at ambient temperature for sale. This will cause condensation to form on the outside of the shell. The water molecules can promote the growth of Salmonella.
- It is a best practice to refrigerate eggs within 2 hours of purchasing, or 1 hour if the air temperature is very hot (90 degrees Fahrenheit or higher).
Storing eggs
Keep eggs cold
Store eggs in the refrigerator for safety and quality.
- Avoid storing eggs in the refrigerator door as this is the warmest spot.
Monitor the shelf life
For the best quality, use eggs stored in the refrigerator within 3 to 5 weeks.
- The “sell-by” date on egg cartons is related to quality and to ensure markets are rotating the inventory
- Eggs not stored in a refrigerator will have a shorter shelf life.
Preparing eggs
When preparing eggs, always use proper handwashing and sanitation practices before and after handling the raw egg.
These are important steps to minimizing the risk of cross-contamination.
Avoid washing eggs
There is no benefit to washing eggs before storing or preparing. Washing eggs can lead to cross-contamination in your kitchen.
Cooking eggs
Cook eggs thoroughly to minimize food safety risks. Both the egg yolk and white should be firm, and reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
Eat right away
Serve your cooked eggs and egg dishes as soon as possible after cooking. Keep cooked eggs warm by holding them in an oven on low or using a heated chafing-style dish to maintain an internal temperature of at least 135 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you plan to serve prepared or baked eggs at a later time, refrigerate and use them within 3 to 4 days or freeze them for longer storage. Reheat eggs to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Hard-cooked eggs
Hard-cooked eggs can spoil more quickly than raw eggs. After cooking, cool the hard-cooked eggs quickly under cold water or in ice water. Refrigerate and use them within 1 week.
Understand the risk of consuming raw eggs
Eating raw eggs or foods containing raw eggs, such as homemade Caesar salad dressing, Hollandaise sauce, mayonnaise, ice cream, eggnog or egg white foams, increases your risk of experiencing food-borne illness.
The symptoms of food-borne illness can be severe, especially in older adults, young children, pregnant individuals, and those with additional health considerations. To minimize the risk of food-borne illness, consider
- Selecting ice cream and eggnog recipes that include a gentle heating step of the egg mixture.
- Using pasteurized eggs in dressings, sauces, and mayonnaise. Keep these foods cold at 41 degrees Fahrenheit during storage and use.
- Use pasteurized egg whites to make foams. Or replace egg white foams with whipped topping.
Egg recipes: Safe and unsafe options
Safe
- Dry meringue shells, divinity candy and 7-minute frosting, made by combining hot sugar syrup with beaten egg whites.
- Meringue-topped pies, if baked at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes.
- Homemade ice cream and eggnog can be made safely from a cooked egg-milk mixture.
Unsafe
- Avoid icing recipes using uncooked eggs or egg whites.
- Chiffon pies and fruit whips made with raw, beaten egg whites are risky. Instead, substitute pasteurized dried egg whites, whipped cream or a whipped topping.
- To make a recipe safe that specifies using eggs that aren't cooked, heat the eggs in a liquid from the recipe over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Then combine it with the other ingredients and complete the recipe.
Easter eggs
Hard-cooking eggs for Easter egg baskets should kill Salmonella bacteria, but it will not prevent them from spoiling or getting re-contaminated.
Decorating
- Always use food-safe dye and start with chilled, uncracked, hard-cooked eggs.
- Consider coloring one batch of eggs just for decoration or the egg hunt, and a separate batch for eating.
- Once decorated, eggs should be either eaten within two hours or placed back in the refrigerator right away.
Egg hunt safety tips
- For a fun and safe egg hunt, it’s best to use plastic eggs for hiding and save the hard-cooked eggs for eating.
- If you do use hard-cooked eggs, ensure they are eaten within two hours of being taken out of the refrigerator.
- Do not use any eggs that are cracked, as bacteria can enter through the shell and make them unsafe to eat.
- When hiding eggs, avoid placing them on the ground or in areas with dirt, pesticides, lawn chemicals, or signs of pests.
- If the egg hunt is held outdoors, participants should wash their hands with warm water and soap before enjoying any eggs they plan to eat.
Reviewed by Amy Johnston, Extension Educator, Food Safety
Reviewed in 2026