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The Egg Safety Center represents commercial egg producers, which follow the FDA Egg Safety Rule and state/federal regulatory programs.
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How long are eggs safe to eat after purchase?
As long are they are kept refrigerated at 45 °F or lower, fresh shell eggs are safe to be consumed four to five weeks beyond the carton’s Julian date (the date eggs were packed). The Julian date is usually found on the short side of the carton and represents the consecutive days of the year with the number 001 as January 1 and December 31 as 365. Although not required, cartons may also carry an expiration date (EXP) beyond which the eggs should not be sold, but are still safe to eat. On cartons with the USDA grade logo, the expiration date cannot exceed 30 days after the eggs were packed in the carton. Depending on the retailer, the expiration date may be less than 30 days. Eggs packed in cartons without the USDA grade logo are governed by the laws of their states.