How Long Can Cooked Eggs Sit Out? (Best Practice – Guide)

It’s a common misconception that boiled eggs are going to be safe for consumption for a longer time compared to raw eggs. 

But what we often fail to understand is that when we boil or cook eggs, the protective sheath of the eggshell is completely destroyed.

This means that the cooked egg is more vulnerable to getting spoiled having lost its natural defense against germs and bacteria. 

Thus, regardless of whether the boiled eggs have a protective cover or not, it’s best to avoid consuming them after keeping them at room temperature for more than 2 hours. 

If you are willing to extend the shelf life of boiled eggs, you can refrigerate them for up to a week. This applies when chickens are vaccinated in countries such as the US and most European countries.

Scrambled Eggs

Like boiled eggs, scrambled eggs are also susceptible to perishing. In some cases, scrambled eggs may remain fresh for around two hours depending on the ambient temperature. It’s not safe to eat eggs that have been cooked by the scrambling method after this time. 

Best ways of storing eggs outside the refrigerator

Depending on how the eggs have been kept in the grocery store, this factor should be considered when thinking about how long can cooked eggs sit out. 

If you are purchasing unrefrigerated eggs, then you can either store them in the fridge or let them sit on the kitchen worktop at room temperature until the best use by date written on the box.

The problem here is that after the first week passes by, the quality and nutritional quality of the eggs will start to deteriorate. As the deadline of 21 days goes by, the egg may not be safe to consume. 

However, if you want the eggs to last longer, place the eggs in the refrigerator. But once you keep them at cooler refrigerated temperatures, these eggs won’t be able to endure higher temperature fluctuations outside the fridge for very long time periods. 

Different types of eggs found in the US and Europe

There are quite a few different types of eggs, and many people have a preference down to the color of the shell.

Some people prefer brown eggs due to their more natural appearance, while others believe that white ones are cleaner. But what is not known to many people as to why eggs come in different colors.

White Leghorn chickens are known to lay a lot of white-shelled eggs, Rhode Island Reds and Plymouth Rocks lay mostly brown-shelled eggs. 

These differences in colors stem from the pigments produced by genetics of the individual chicken. Eggshells can come in different colors among the same breed of chickens owing to this genetic dominance in individual birds. 

But it’s worth mentioning that there is no nutritional difference between white and brown eggs. However, some individuals prefer consuming brown eggs simply because they think they taste better which quite frankly is arguable.

Eggs, certified as organic in the European Union and the United States, are only derived from chickens who are given organic food. 

Conclusion

Any type of egg from Europe or the US is going to last for two hours at the most when left out on the side. After this time period is over, it becomes risky to consume the eggs since it may have bad bacterial growth present. 

If you consume poorly kept eggs, you are likely to suffer from severe diarrhea, abdominal pain, and dehydration. Some people even suffer from abdominal pain and fever along with vomiting. 

Thus, to ensure health and safety, you must store eggs in the right way. Also, never purchase eggs having dirty or cracked shells. This will save you from unwanted health problems and ensure good health.

Finally, if you are in any doubt as to whether the eggs are safe to eat or not, always err on the side of caution and dispose of the eggs in a safe manner.

Or more information on egg safety please take a look at the FDA website for more information.