Can You Eat Eggs After the Best-Before Date?
Written by Jordan Morley · Reviewed against FSA date labelling guidance · Last updated 28 October 2026
Eggs carry a best-before date, and the FSA says they can be eaten a day or two after it — as long as they're cooked thoroughly until white and yolk are firm.
Why it's usually fine past the date
Eggs are a special case: they carry a best-before date (set at 28 days from lay), and FSA guidance says eggs can be eaten a day or two after that date provided they're cooked thoroughly — hard-boiled, in a fully baked cake, or fried firm. The thorough cooking kills any salmonella. Past the date, skip runny yolks, homemade mayo and soft meringues. The float test (fresh eggs sink, old eggs float) indicates age, not safety — use it for quality only.
You can also check the calorie content of eggs alongside their safety information.
Where the 'day or two' rule comes from
The rule is an FSA statement from December 2011. The Poultry Site reported it on 15 December 2011: eggs 'can be eaten a day or two after their best before date', providing they are 'cooked thoroughly until both yolk and white are solid', or used in dishes that will be fully cooked, 'such as a cake'. Before that, the advice had been not to eat eggs past the date. We could not open a current FSA page on this (food.gov.uk eggs pages were not available to us), so the wording we give is from that 2011 report and from Which?, which repeated the same advice on 7 October 2022.
| Source | What it says about eggs past the date | Date |
|---|---|---|
| FSA, via The Poultry Site | A day or two past best before, only if cooked until yolk and white are solid or fully cooked in a dish | 15 Dec 2011 |
| WRAP, via Which? | 'One to two days after their best before date'; keep refrigerated in their boxes | 3 Apr 2020 |
| Which? | Eggs have a 28-day shelf life from laying; by law they must reach shoppers within 21 days, leaving at least 7 to eat them. The FSA says safe for a couple of days past the date if thoroughly cooked | 7 Oct 2022 |
| Food Standards Scotland (eggs page) | 'Look out for the best before date on the egg'; store cool and dry, ideally in the fridge; hard-boiled eggs up to 2 days in the fridge. It gives no after-date rule | undated |
So the two UK regulators are not saying the same thing: the FSA source allows a day or two with thorough cooking; the FSS page we read gives no after-date rule. Where in doubt, use the date.
How to use eggs in the grace period
- Cook them solid. Hard-boiled, fully baked in a cake, or fried until the white and yolk are firm.
- Skip the runny ones. Soft-boiled, dippy, sunny-side-up, homemade mayonnaise and mousse are for in-date Lion eggs only.
- Crack into a separate bowl first (Which?), so a bad one does not spoil the dish.
- Bin damaged or slimy shells and eggs with a strong eggy smell. A normal smell does not prove an egg is safe.
- Do not rely on the float test. The FSA's food-safety head told Which? it 'indicates egg age rather than safety'.
Storing eggs so they last
Which? advises keeping eggs in their original box in the fridge, at a steady temperature, because sudden changes cause condensation. It also says eggs can be frozen cracked and beaten, not in the shell, for up to six months. Our freezing eggs page has the detail. For pregnancy, see runny eggs in pregnancy.
Sources checked
Everything in the sections above was checked against these pages on 28 October 2026.
- The Poultry Site: Egg advice past its best, says FSA (15 December 2011) — FSA Dec 2011: a day or two after best before if cooked until yolk and white solid
- Which?: Is it ever safe to keep foods after their best before and use by dates? (published 3 April 2020, updated 9 April 2020; reporting WRAP advice) — WRAP: one to two days after best before; store in box in fridge
- Which?: How to tell if your egg is fresh (7 October 2022) — 28-day shelf life; 21 days to consumers; float test; crack into a separate bowl; freezing
- Food Standards Scotland: Eggs (food safety at home) — best before date; fridge; hard-boiled 2 days; no after-date rule
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Eggs: the other answers on this site
| Question | Short answer (links to the full page) |
|---|---|
| In pregnancy | Safe if Lion-stamped |
| While breastfeeding | Safe |
| In the fridge | 3–5 weeks in the fridge |
| In the freezer | Not recommended |
| Reheating | Yes — once, piping hot |
Common questions
What is the difference between use-by and best-before?
Use-by is about safety: do not eat after it. Best-before is about quality: the food is often fine after it, just past its best. Check which one is on your label.
Can I freeze eggs?
Not in the shell. Crack them, beat lightly and freeze in a sealed container; whites and yolks freeze separately. See our page on freezing eggs.
Where does the one to two days rule for eggs come from?
The FSA changed its advice in December 2011 so eggs could be eaten a day or two after the best before date if thoroughly cooked. We read it in a 2011 trade report and in Which? (October 2022), not on a current FSA page.
Is the egg float test safe to use?
No. The FSA's food-safety head told Which? the float test indicates age rather than safety.
Related answers
Primary source: FSA date labelling guidance.
General information only, not medical advice: see the medical disclaimer. Feeling unwell after eating something? Contact NHS 111 or your GP.