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How long are hard-cooked eggs safe to eat? Why do hard-cooked eggs spoil faster than fresh eggs?

Hard-cooked eggs, with intact shells, should be refrigerated within two hours of cooking and used within one week. Egg shells have a protective coating that is washed away when eggs are hard-cooked. This leaves the pores in the shell open for bacteria to enter.  If eggs crack during cooking or are peeled, they should be kept refrigerated and eaten within one to two days. When properly refrigerated, dishes that contain hard-boiled eggs should be enjoyed within 2 days from when they were made.