An egg with a cracked shell has a much shorter life than one with an intact shell; bacteria getting in through the crack raises the risk of poisoning, so a cracked egg needs to be cooked and eaten within 1-2 days.
As soon as a crack is spotted, the egg should go into a closed container in the fridge; left at room temperature, a cracked egg spoils much faster and can become risky within the same day.
What should you do with a cracked egg?
Rather than leaving a cracked egg raw for long, the safest move is to boil or cook it soon; a thoroughly cooked egg neutralizes most bacteria that may have gotten in.
The size of the crack matters too: a hairline crack is relatively lower risk, but if a piece of shell has broken off and the inner membrane is visible, the egg should be used the same day without any delay.
What should you check for while shopping?
If a cracked egg is visible in a carton on the shelf, skipping that carton is the safest choice; small cracks from handling sometimes aren't noticed until the carton is opened at home. Checking each egg individually once home lets you pull out any cracked ones and use them first.
Intact eggs can sit in the fridge for weeks, but a cracked egg can't wait nearly that long; that gap is exactly why cracked eggs belong in a separate container and get used first.
Does the cause of the crack change how it's stored?
If an egg cracks during cooking, as with boiling, that's a different situation for storage purposes; a boiled egg's cracked shell doesn't matter much since the inside is already cooked, and it follows the normal storage window for boiled eggs.
Cracks from handling during transport tend to be the riskiest, since the egg was likely sitting on a shelf for a few days before the shell broke; an egg with a transport crack should be used right away regardless of its purchase date.
For anyone wanting to use a cracked egg without waiting, the one safe option is cooking it thoroughly; even scrambled, it should be cooked using a method that lets the internal temperature climb high enough.
Holding an egg carton up to the light for a quick look before putting it in the fridge is a useful habit for spotting cracks that might otherwise go unnoticed.
When a recipe calls for cracking several eggs at once, cracking each one into a separate small bowl first keeps a cracked or spoiled egg from ruining the rest of the batch.
For a cracked egg that's going to be cooked, a method like an omelet, where the egg is cracked and cooked directly, avoids the extra hassle a crack causes when boiling.
Placing the newest carton at the back of the fridge and the older one at the front, the same as with cans, keeps the priority order clear for cracked-egg risk too.
A cracked egg isn't a reason to panic, it's simply a product that needs to be used carefully within a short window.
Keeping eggs in their original carton also makes a difference here; the carton both protects them from bumps and cuts down significantly on eggs picking up other smells in the fridge.
Attention Reader
This content is for information only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Consult your doctor before making any decision about your health.