When Does Left Out Hard Boiled eggs go bad?

[moms3cuties]

I accidentally LEFT my hard-boiled eggs from yesterday morning out ALL Night to this morning in the pan of cool water. :/ How long after cooked at room temperature can my hard-boiled eggs stay good for? Does anybody know? Thanks!

 

[vehve]

I did a little internet searching and was surprised at what I found. Several sources including some gov't food safety sites recommend not consuming hard boiled eggs after they have been unrefrigerated for just a few hours. They also agree that they will only last a week if refrigerated.

Like everyone else, I know I've eaten day old boiled eggs before. I guess it just isn't a good thing to do regularly.

Quite the contrary, being subjected to bacteria regularly is better than to not have had any contact with it before and then eating something that's a bit spoiled. Regular contamination in small amounts builds up immunity. That's the reason why people often get sick when eating slightly iffy things abroad, they're not used to the local bacteria. Government recommendations are often a bit on the safe side, which isn't a bad thing, but you could probably eat the eggs without any problems. That being said, kitchen hygiene is a very important thing, especially if you handle animal feces. Chicken poop is a good source of contamination.

 

[donrae]

Just sayin', "the government" is also the one that says all eggs must be washed and refrigerated to be safe to eat.

I'm with vehve, we do a steady immune challenge here. I've eaten meat that's been out overnight, pizza that's been out of the fridge for days, other things that would pretty much horrify germophobes.

We're firm believers in the hygiene hypothesis and the Old Friends theory around here. Linked to that is my personal theory that your immune system is like a Border Collie

. Border Collies are smart, energetic, well-intentioned dogs who need a job to do. If you don't give them something to do, they make your life a living hell, cause they'll find something to do, just not what you want done. Same for the immune system.....if you don't give it something to fend off, it will find something to fight, and if your body is the only thing it's exposed to, it will turn on you.

Makes sense to me, anyway.....

 

[Jayspirit]

I’ve cooked eggs and left out for 3 days then ate them and I was fine. Being on a sailboat on the water the temps are cooler. Heat will obviously deteriorate the condition of the egg . Bananas go quick with heat. I’m
Sure your fine just no the temperatures. Seafood is the worst. Cook well. Just dive in and use your taste buds and if it’s bad spit it out you’ll know . If you smoke cigarettes you’ll probably not know because your taste buds our shot

 

[Craigyt]

I remember as a child picking, collecting, and hoarding Easter Eggs. I can also remember eating those eggs for several days, unrefrigerated. If I recall correctly, it was at least twelve days before we found our lost, or unfound, eggs due to the stench. I have personally eaten hard boiled eggs in the shell some three days old at room temperature and have gone unscathed. Clearly, if they are mixed with Mayonnaise...they should be refrigerated immediately.

 

[JerryR708]

In my 2 years owning 7 hens:

Never washed my hands after handling eggs
Never washed or cleaned my eggs
Seldom refrigerate fresh eggs
Eat pickled boiled eggs over a month old

 

[Boonie Stomper]

Why doesn't anyone just cut through the overabundance of caution from the government and realize objectively that everything does not neatly fit into a one size fit all set of rules!?
There are variables that alter the actual correct answer to this question. A lot of them. The least of which include: The ambient temperature the egg was left out. The boiled egg being shelled or not. The moisture and pathogen levels in the air around the egg. The amount of air its exposed to.
What was on the object that handled the egg after boiling. Etc.

Afternote I've seen boiled eggs be bad after 3 days in the fridge and a week left out; but also uncooked in the fridge for over a year still edible (by me anyway).

 

[donrae]

I've eaten boiled eggs that sat in the water almost 24 hours and we were all just fine.

 

[moms3cuties]

Thank you!,,, anyone else eaten boiled eggs out longer than 24 hours???

 

[vehve]

Thank you!,,, anyone else eaten boiled eggs out longer than 24 hours???

I'd say the boiling process (especially when hard boiling) would of have taken out most of the bacteria population, so I wouldn't worry about it that much. The shell should protect it, and if you left it in cold water, that would work as a makeshift fridge for at least part of the time too.

I've eaten meat products that have been left on the counter over night, and I'm still alive. And that is a much better base for growing bacteria, than a submerged egg that has just been boiled.