Expert: Carol Schlitt - 10/17/2006

Question
how are long are chicken eggs edible if not refrigerated?

Answer
Hi Sherri,

That's a good question.  As you probably know, many cultures around the world eat unrefrigerated eggs without getting sick. Many variables account for this. In some countries for instance, people shop frequently—even daily—rather than storing food at home. So the eggs they buy are freshly laid and quickly consumed.. However, they also do not store eggs for long periods of time -- they usually buy and consume them quickly.

Refrigerating eggs is not only a matter of safety, however. It's also the best way to keep eggs fresh. It's estimated that eggs age more in one day at room temperature than they do in one week in the refrigerator. And as eggs age, some of their cooking qualities are affected. The yolks and whites become thinner and more prone to breaking when you separate them. You'll also find these eggs harder to poach, as thin whites spread quickly throughout the poaching water instead of clustering around the yolk. And you may notice a large dent in the fat end of hard-cooked eggs. This happens as moisture and carbon dioxide evaporate from the white, allowing air to enter through the porous shell and enlarge the air space.

So how long are unrefrigerated eggs edible?  I don't know. It all depends on the temperature of storage and the health of the chicken (did the chicken pass on salmonella). If we give refrigerated eggs 3-5 weeks of edibility and unrefrigerated egg ages 1 week for each day out of refrigeration we can probably say 3-5 days of unrefrigerated storage. However, there are no guarantees that it will remain safe. That's why we recommend refrigeration -- to lesson your chances of illness and to lengthen the storage time.

I hope this has helped.  If I can be of further assistance, plesae let me know.

Carol C. Schlitt
Extension Educator, Nutrition and Wellness
Univeristy of Illinois Extension