Egg Safety for Easter
Russ Baldwin | Apr 07, 2012 | Comments 0
Children will be on the hunt this weekend for the prized Easter eggs. Coloring eggs can be a great family activity that children will remember for years to come. Growing up my family colored eggs on Good Friday and dinner that evening was a light meal with the eggs that were cracked or didn’t look so pretty.
If you plan to eat the Easter eggs you decorate, be sure to use only food grade dye. I suggest that you color two sets of eggs, one set for hiding and one for eating, or better yet use plastic eggs for hiding.
Hard cooked eggs are very perishable. They need to be kept in the refrigerator. If you do have eggs out it should be no more than two hours. If you do use the eggs that you hide make sure they are protected from dirt, pets and other bacteria sources. If the shell becomes cracked the egg should be discarded. If the eggs were well hidden and not found until hours later or the next day the eggs should be thrown out and not eaten.
Eggs need to be purchased from the refrigerated case at the grocery store and you need to refrigerate them as soon as you arrive home. Eggs have a sell-by date stamped on the carton. Fresh eggs can be stored in their carton in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 weeks after this date.
To make hard-cooked eggs place the eggs in a saucepan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Add cold water to cover eggs by an inch. Heat over high heat to boiling. Remove from burner, cover the pan and let eggs stand for 15 minutes for large eggs. Drain immediately and cool.
To peel a hard-cooked egg gently tap egg on countertop until shell is cracked all over. Roll egg between clean hands to loosen shell. Start peeling at large end, holding under cold running water to help ease the shell off. Once eggs are peeled they should be eaten that day. If the egg is in the shell they can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.
So what do you do with the leftover eggs? Some ideas include egg salad, deviled eggs or top your green salad with a sliced egg.
For more information on safe egg handling call your local CSU Extension office.
By: Jennifer Wells, CSU Southeast Area Extension
Filed Under: Agriculture • Business • community • Health • Public Safety • Recreation • Youth
About the Author: