Stock photo of hard-boiled Easter eggs.Photo:Getty
Getty
Easteris over, and many families are left with anabundance of candyand hard-boiled eggs — usually dyed foregg hunts.
But while jelly beans and other seasonal treats may have a long shelf life, the same isn’t true for the eggs — even if they were hard-boiled. There is still a risk of food poisoning if the eggs have been mishandled.
TheFood and Drug Administrationrecommends tossing any eggs that were left unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours — and if temperatures were above 90 degrees, they should be thrown away after one hour.
And specifically regarding Easter eggs, the FDA has a clear warning: “Do NOT eat them after hiding or playing with them. Bacteria and viruses picked up on the shells can be transferred to the edible part of the egg,” the agency says.
Sock image of hard-boiled egg.Getty
However theUSDAsays that ‘found’ eggs can be eaten, although they “must be washed, re-refrigerated and eaten within 7 days of cooking.” The total time for hiding and hunting eggs should not exceed 2 hours," the agency says.
The FDA outlines symptoms of foodborne illness. “Although most people will recover from a foodborne illness within a short period of time, some can develop chronic, severe, or even life-threatening health problems,” adding that people can have “vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain” as well as “flu-like symptoms, such as fever, headache, and body ache.”
“Most people who get sick from Salmonella have diarrhea, fever, vomiting, and stomach cramps. Symptoms usually begin 6 hours to 6 days after infection and last 4 to 7 days,” the CDC says, adding that while not everyone will need antibiotics, some with severe illness will need treatment.
Stock image of boiling eggs.Getty
“Rarely, Salmonella can spread to the bloodstream and cause a life-threatening infection.”
TheCDCestimates that the Salmonella bacteria causes 1.35 million infections, 26,500 hospitalizations, and 420 deaths in the United States every year.
Not sure if your hard-boiled eggs have gone bad before the recommended 7 days? AsReal Simplesays, if is slimy, smelly, or has a chalky taste, it’s time to toss it.
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source: people.com
