# HELP!!! Are my eggs ok? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 16, 2003, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-are-my-eggs-ok/175662 "2003-05-16T12:52:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-are-my-eggs-ok/175662/1 "2003-05-16T12:52:43Z")
I bought eggs last night and forgot to put them in the fridge!!! They were out for approx. nine hours. We’ve had temps in the low 50s at night, and my thermostat said 69 this morning. Should I pitch 'em or eat 'em? ---
**Author:** ![Popup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/94ad74/32.png) [@Popup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Popup)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-are-my-eggs-ok/175662/2 "2003-05-16T13:01:28Z")
No, they ought to be fine. While it’s true that any traces of salmonella multiply a lot faster in room temperature, that’s still a very small risk. In the thread [Eggs - In the fridge or not?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=183046) it was shown that eggs are better off in the fridge, but it’s not a matter of life and death. (At least not at first…) ---
**Author:** ![Leifsmama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a698b9/32.png) [@Leifsmama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leifsmama)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-are-my-eggs-ok/175662/3 "2003-05-16T13:01:30Z")
I would say that they are OK to eat as long as they haven’t spoiled. They may spoil faster now that they’ve been out of refridgeration for a long period of time. You can tell if they are bad by immersing them in water. If they float, they’re bad. If I were a health inspector at a restaurant I’d make you throw them away, period. Health inspectors allow no room at all for the possibility of anyone getting sick which sometimes leads them to require the throwing away of things that are actually still safe to eat. ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-are-my-eggs-ok/175662/4 "2003-05-16T13:14:15Z")
Thanks, Dopers!! (Althought it’s too late for me to eat breakfast now, I’ve already put them in the fridge - I did as soon as I saw them out.) Had to ask you guys 'cause my mom didn’t know!! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Gravity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gravity/32/14322_2.png) [@Gravity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gravity)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-are-my-eggs-ok/175662/5 "2003-05-16T13:53:49Z")
Well… most hen houses aren’t refrigerated 🙂 You can do that float test, if you’re really worried. Fill a bowl or pot with water. Put your eggs in. If they lay flat, perfect. If they turn so that the pointed end is up, they’re fine, but you should eat them soon. If they float…well, I _suggest_ that you don’t open them. A good all-purpose test for egg freshness. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-are-my-eggs-ok/175662/6 "2003-05-16T14:52:08Z")
They should be fine. I store my eggs in a coolish place (50 F) for up to a week and have never gotten the slightest bit ill from it. That said, I have gotten sick off eggs once in my life and it’s an experience I would not like to repeat (three days out of commission. Maybe I should’ve seen a doctor, huh?) ---
**Author:** ![Peg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Peg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peg)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2003, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-are-my-eggs-ok/175662/7 "2003-05-16T15:56:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gravity \* > \*\*Well… most hen houses aren’t refrigerated 🙂 > > You can do that float test, if you’re really worried. > > Fill a bowl or pot with water. Put your eggs in. If they lay flat, perfect. If they turn so that the pointed end is up, they’re fine, but you should eat them soon. If they float…well, I _suggest_ that you don’t open them. > > A good all-purpose test for egg freshness. \*\* I didn’t know about this test. Thanks!