By Oliver James • February 28, 2026 • Share
Unfortunately, eggs are not the easiest ingredient to determine the freshness of, as the protective opaque shell hides the condition of the white and yolk. But there are a few easy ways to tell if an egg is fresh, and plenty of things you can do to prevent your eggs from going bad in the first place.
In France, nearly 10 million tonnes of food end up in the trash every year. Many people prefer to throw away food when the expiration date has passed. In the UK, around 720 million eggs are wasted every year, mainly because 77% of Brits struggle to know if an egg is fresh after its use-by date.
Do you want to prepare a brunch but don’t know how long your eggs have been in the fridge? Do not panic. There are ways to know if they are consumable or not. Checking expiration dates is a straightforward method.
The eggs you buy at the supermarket all have a recommended use-by date, which is indicated on their packaging. In addition, French regulations require the distributor to no longer sell eggs 7 days before the minimum durability date written on the packaging.
But if you stock up on eggs from the henhouse, the recommended use-by date is not indicated. Therefore, you should know that the use-by date is a maximum of 28 days after the day of laying.
However, eggs can be stored in the refrigerator for one month past the recommended use-by date, which is 58 days after the day they were laid, if the shells are not cracked or broken.
Storing food in optimal conditions helps maintain its freshness, avoid mold, and actively fight against food waste. Compliance with the cold chain and deadlines is necessary to avoid pathogenic organisms that pose a health risk.
Thus, putting eggs in the refrigerator helps preserve their taste and nutritional qualities and prevents the growth of bacteria.
Read more on the next page ⬇️⬇️⬇️
