Hard-Boiled Eggs and Refrigeration: Safety and Contamination
Diet & NutritionNutrients & Supplements

This Is How Long Hard-Boiled Eggs Can Sit Out Unrefrigerated

This Is How Long Hard-Boiled Eggs Can Sit Out Unrefrigerated
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Updated on January 23, 2026
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Eating food contaminated with germs linked to foodborne illnesses can lead to fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Practicing poor hygiene or undercooking can contribute to food poisoning. But leaving some foods, like hard-boiled eggs, out on the side for too long can also raise the risk, according to MedlinePlus.

How Long Can Hard-Boiled Eggs Sit Out of the Refrigerator?

Hard-boiled eggs can sit out of the fridge for no more than two hours, or one hour if the temperature outside is 90 degrees Fahrenheit or above, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Hard-boiled eggs can be a quick and nutritious snack, but you have to refrigerate them and handle them correctly to keep them from becoming contaminated. You can store peeled or unpeeled hard-boiled eggs in the fridge for a week.

Why You Need to Refrigerate Hard-Boiled Eggs

Eggs are a nutritional powerhouse. But when left out too long, they carry certain health risks.

Hard-boiled eggs need to stay at a low temperature, so it's best to refrigerate them after boiling. To keep fresh eggs safe, store them at 40 degrees F (4.4 degrees C) or colder, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The same rule applies to hard-boiled eggs, both in and out of the shell.

If hard-boiled eggs stay at room temperature for long periods, bacteria can multiply quickly and cause foodborne illness. Salmonella is one of the most common risks linked to eating rotten eggs, according to the FDA.

Salmonella symptoms last between four and seven days, and the infection can spread through any contaminated food. In severe cases, salmonella can lead to dehydration and require a trip to the doctor. Contrary to popular belief, hard-boiled eggs are not safer to leave out than raw eggs.

Heat kills salmonella bacteria. But hard-boiled eggs can still become contaminated if you don't cook them fully or store them properly, or if they acquire germs and you don’t store them at the right temperature. This is because the cooking process damages the protective layer on the eggshell, according to the Global Food Consumers' Forum.

How to Tell if Your Eggs Have Expired

Rotten eggs don't always have a foul odor. So err on the side of caution by taking some safety measures. Throw out any eggs with cracks or shell imperfections before boiling, according to the FDA. And cook eggs until the yolks and whites are firm.

If you serve a dish that has hard-boiled eggs in it, such as deviled eggs, place the serving platter on ice to keep the eggs cold. Set a timer to remind yourself to refrigerate the leftovers within two hours.

If your eggs sit out longer than they should, play it safe and throw them out.

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Jennifer Frediani

Jennifer Frediani, PhD, RD

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Jennifer K. Frediani, PhD, RD, ACSM-CES, is a nutrition scientist, exercise physiologist, and registered dietitian with over two decades of experience in clinical research, education, and lifestyle intervention. She's an assistant professor, research track, at the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University, adjunct faculty in the nutrition and health sciences program at the Rollins School of Public Health, and a member of the Winship Cancer Institute.

Dr. Frediani earned her PhD in nutrition science from Emory University, and a master’s in exercise science and a bachelor’s in nutrition and dietetics from Georgia State University. Her doctoral research focused on body composition and dietary assessment among tuberculosis patients in the Republic of Georgia, and her postdoctoral work explored nutritional influences on pediatric liver disease.

She has published widely in journals such as Nature Scientific Reports, The New England Journal of Medicine, Clinical Nutrition, and Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases.

At Emory, she directs adult clinical studies for the NIH RADx initiative, overseeing trials on novel diagnostics for infectious diseases. She also leads the development of Emory’s fully online master of science in clinical nutrition program, designed to prepare future registered dietitian nutritionists through integrated coursework and supervised experiential learning.

Her research focuses on weight-neutral lifestyle interventions to improve cardiometabolic outcomes, with a special emphasis on dietary assessment, physical activity, and metabolomics.

Frediani’s teaching philosophy centers on creating inclusive, student-driven learning environments that foster critical thinking and professional growth. She is passionate about reducing weight stigma in clinical care and promoting sustainable, individualized approaches to food and movement.

Outside of work, Frediani is an avid runner and food enthusiast who travels the world to explore culinary traditions and cultural foodways. She believes that everyone deserves to enjoy food that nourishes both body and soul — without shame or restriction.

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