Are Easter Eggs Safe to Eat?

You don’t want your dyed and decorated Easter eggs to go to waste. But are they safe to eat after all they’ve been through?

The short answer is yes — but only if you’re following food safety guidelines. Here are the rules to prevent foodborne illness for you and your family.

Don’t leave Easter eggs out at room temperature for too long if you plan to eat them, says Francisco Diez-Gonzalez, PhD, a food science professor and director of the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia in Athens.

“Think bacteria present in bird poop, and if the placed egg were to come in contact with that bird poop,” says Martin Bucknavage, a senior food safety specialist at Penn State University’s Department of Food Science in University Park, Pennsylvania. “While the egg shell does provide some protection, we must remember that this is not impermeable, especially when the outer shell gets moisture on it.”

This contamination risk is lower if you take your Easter egg hunt indoors, but it’s not zero. “Because eggs may be hidden on surfaces that may not be clean, they may have microorganisms,” says Diez-Gonzalez.

To eliminate the possibility of eating contaminated eggs, you could prepare two batches: one for egg hunting purposes only, and another batch just for eating. “Even better,” says Bucknavage, “use the plastic eggs for hiding and keep the hard boiled eggs in the refrigerator until they are about to be eaten.”

Easter eggs are all about decorating. While dyed eggs are safe to eat, it’s important to only use food-grade dye. “Always use dyes that are made for food, including those that are specific for dying easter eggs,” Bucknavage says.

While any store-bought dye kits would fall under this category, there have been some recent concerns around artificial food coloring, Bucknavage says. “While we have generally looked at these colors as safe, there is a push to remove those artificial colors from food.”

Bucknavage says the egg’s shell absorbs a vast majority of the dye, so little if any dye will get eaten unless you’re eating the shell. “If one does have an issue with artificial colors, they can use colors from natural sources, understanding that these colors will not be as brilliant,” he says.

• Reddish-pink: two cups of shredded beets or pickled beet juice
• Red: boiled red onion skins
• Orange: boiled yellow onion skins or grated carrot juice
• Green: chopped frozen spinach or cabbage liquid
• Blue: chopped purple cabbage or blueberries
• Lavender: grape juice

Sometimes it’s obvious when eggs have gone bad. “More than likely an egg that sat out too long will become stinky enough that one would not want to eat it,” says Bucknavage.

If an egg shell is cracked, this makes it easier for additional contamination by external sources of bacteria, Diez says.

• Diarrhea
• Stomach cramping
• Vomiting
• Fever

“The best advice is to avoid consuming any eggs used for egg hunting. That way they are not temperature-abused and are not subjected to external contamination,” Diez says.

• Dyed easter eggs are safe to eat if you follow proper food safety guidelines.
• Don’t let hard-boiled eggs sit out at room temperature for more than two hours, and don’t eat eggs that have been hidden outside.
• The FDA regulates food dyes for safety, but if you still have concerns, you can make your own from colorful produce and little vinegar or lemon juice.
• Consider making a batch of Easter eggs just for eating, and having a second batch only for hiding.
• Better yet, hide toy eggs and keep the real ones in the fridge until you’re ready to eat them.