Are eggs left in car trunk for 3 days safe to eat?

Question

I had purchased eggs at the supermarket and i forgot them in the trunk of my car for for 3 days are they still okay to eat?

It is not just the number of days but what sort of temperatures they are exposed to. — user110084, Jun 04 '17 at 14:12
What country are you in? This question is unanswerable without that information. — Chris H, Jun 05 '17 at 16:24

score 8 · Answer 1 · edited Jun 22 '18 at 14:42

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Would you risk getting sick for ~ $4. It's not like you left a tin of Beluga caviar in the trunk for 3 days. Toss them!

edited Jun 22 '18 at 14:42

Catija

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answered Jun 22 '18 at 14:41

Jason S.

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eckes · Answer 2 · 2017-06-17T12:07:12.320

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In Europe, eggs are always stored out of the fridge and last there for weeks, so I'd say yes they are safe.

edited Jun 17 '17 at 12:07

answered Jun 04 '17 at 19:53

eckes

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There is a potentially significant difference between a kitchen counter top and the trunk of a car. For example, particularly in the summertime, a car trunk can get exceedingly hot. Are you sure you have enough information to answer this question confidently? – moscafj Jun 17 '17 at 12:53
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European eggs are not washed to remove their natural protective film and sold at room temperature. If your eggs have been washed and refrigerated, they should be kept in the fridge. – Jędrek Kostecki Jun 30 '17 at 16:07
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[Read below for a better international answer](https://cooking.stackexchange.com/a/82184/57440) and why European habits don't carry over to the US. – lly Jun 21 '18 at 15:17

score 1 · Answer 3 · edited Jun 21 '18 at 21:12

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As long as the temperature there was not above, say, 21 degrees Celsius. Eggs can be stored at room temperature, though I still like to put mine in the refrigerator.

edited Jun 21 '18 at 21:12

lly

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answered Jun 17 '17 at 02:42

Geoffrey Taylor

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score -1 · Answer 4 · answered Jun 05 '17 at 05:28

They are probably OK as long as they didn't get too hot, but you should test them before eating. Here's how:

Fill a bowl with cold water and place an egg inside.
If it sinks to the bottom, it's good.
If it sinks but stands on its point, it's good, but won't be good for much longer and should be used soon.
If it floats, toss it.

As far as refrigerating eggs in the U.S. vs. European room temperature storage:

"In some European countries, egg-laying hens are vaccinated against salmonella. In the U.S., vaccination is not required, but eggs must be washed and refrigerated from farm to store, and producers must follow a host of other safety measures."

Why The U.S. Chills Its Eggs And Most Of The World Doesn't — September 11, 2014, Rae Ellen Bichell, NPR Eating And Health

Also, commercially produced American eggs are washed with soap and hot, steamy water after collecting which removes a thin protective layer from the shell, which can effect shelf life at room temp. As long as you use the water bowl test, you're good to go.

I always thought the float test was just for determining age of the eggs. If that's the case, then this won't help. — senschen, Jun 05 '17 at 11:46
Density test will unlikely reflect the main risks from pathogens. — user110084, Jun 05 '17 at 12:06

score -3 · Answer 5 · edited Jun 21 '18 at 21:12

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Test eggs by submerging them in water. If they float, they are bad and filled with gasses. If they remain on bottom, they're fine. Dry and refrigerate.

edited Jun 21 '18 at 21:12

lly

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answered Jun 30 '17 at 15:31

Judy

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The density test only tells you how much water has been lost through the shell, which gives you an idea of the age. It doesn't tell you anything about pathogens. – mrog Aug 09 '17 at 22:28
@mrog [Well, these guys](https://eggsafety.org/floating-eggs-a-bad-egg-or-just-buoyant/) and [these](http://www.foodrepublic.com/2013/01/24/can-you-eat-expired-eggs/) say, if anything, the egg can still be good even after failing the float test and to just go by smell. Did you have odorless early-onset pathogens people should worry about? – lly Jun 21 '18 at 15:15
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@lly "Foods contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms usually do not look bad, taste bad, or smell bad." Source: https://food.unl.edu/food-poisoning-foodborne-illness If an egg smells bad, don't eat it. If it smells okay, but it's been stored in questionable conditions, don't eat it. You can smell the result of decomposition, but you can't smell things like salmonella, which love to grow in warm conditions. – mrog Jun 21 '18 at 22:34

score -5 · Answer 6 · edited Jun 25 '21 at 14:28

Even if the egg was filled with pathogens, as long as the eggs are cooked completely (meaning no runny yellow or white) then they would still be safe to eat. CDC website states that cooking eggs this way sufficiently renders any and all salmonella that may be in the egg completely harmless. Hotdogs and cold cut meats are also prone to these types of pathogens and most people don’t worry about them. I still advise my pregnant patients to heat hotdogs and cold cuts to steaming in the microwave for safety. You can always wave your plate of cold cuts in front of the freezer right after to cook them back down if you’re craving a cold - cold cut sandwich.

But back to the eggs, I understand not wanting to waste food by tossing it but if despite using the egg sink/ float method AND cooking it sufficiently to kill bacteria. If you’re still worried, then just buy a new dozen. It sucks to waste money and food but what truly matters at the end of the day is your own comfort level and peace of mind (if you can’t find peace with eating the eggs after doing the above). But a new dozen and move on. I know this post is old but I found it and wanted to chime in since people are still checking this post for answers.

Killing off bacteria is not sufficient to make a food safe to consume if it's gone off. The bacteria produce toxins that are what make you sick, and those are not killed off unless you heat the food until it turns to charcoal. — user141592, Jun 25 '21 at 05:36

Are eggs left in car trunk for 3 days safe to eat?

6 Answers6