Can I Leave Eggs Out on the Counter?

Can I Leave Eggs Out on the Counter?

We reached out to Eggland’s Best to settle the debate. Dave Holdsworth, the Vice President of Marketing at the company told us, “According to the USDA, eggs should not be left out of the refrigerator for more than two hours; one hour if the outside temperature is 90 °F or above.”

This is food safety 101. The danger zone, between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, is where bacteria or illness can grow quickly. When dealing with eggs, we’re likely talking about Salmonella, one of the most common foodborne illnesses. The CDC estimates Salmonella causes about 1.35 million infections, 26,500 hospitalizations, and 420 deaths in the United States every year. Symptoms can last up to seven days and start as soon as six hours after eating!

How to Bring Eggs to Room Temperature Quickly & Safely

To avoid having your next batch of royal icing cancel the party, either make sure to set a timer for your eggs before you leave them out. Or, to get eggs up to temperature in a pinch, just place them in a bowl of warm temperature water while you gather the rest of your ingredients. In about 5 to 10 minutes, the chill from the eggs will be gone and they’ll be ready to put to use in your dough.

But when in doubt, throw them out! Better safe than sorry!