There are tried and tested ways to keep eggs fresh for weeks beyond their best-before date
UK supermarket eggs typically come with a best-before date of 28 days from the date they were laid. But if not stored correctly at home, these eggs can go off earlier.
For those seeking to extend the life of their eggs well past the best-before date, there’s an array of traditional methods. Yet, a trick that isn’t widely known outside sailing circles involves something unexpected from your cupboard.
In a post shared on the online Cruisers Forum, a member by the username ‘RaymondR’ detailed: “Vaseline, I have tried this one and it appears to work.”
Elaborating on his experience, he added: “I coated eggs with Vaseline and left them for about three months and when I cracked them and made scrambled eggs, they looked perfectly edible.”
READ MORE: The ‘tried and tested’ 29p weed killer gardeners say will clear patios in ‘two days’
We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info
This technique might feel outdated, though it spans back several centuries. Now, its mostly off the radar but still held in high regard within particular communities.
Yachting expert Michael Harpur also advocated the same method on Eoceanic, a digital haven for sailing aficionados. Explaining the science behind it, he stated: “Eggs go off when they get oxidised i.e. air penetrates the protective shell. The petroleum jelly adds another protective coat to prevent this whilst also preventing evaporation.”
Furthermore, Michael advised: “Eggs coated in petroleum jelly will keep for months on end but will eventually develop an off-flavour after a few months.”
The yacht enthusiast shared a straightforward tip for keeping eggs fresh on long sea journeys, saying: “We found turning eggs met the extended life requirements we needed during our circumnavigation. We did Vaseline our egg store once but found it was not worth the trouble nor the mess involved.”
Michael also mentioned that recent advancements in egg storage technology, like plastic egg cases, have made the task much easier.
These innovative cases can hold up to 15 eggs and are designed to turn all the eggs at once with a simple flip, making them incredibly handy for both storage and transport.
He pointed out: “They are very useful for protecting the eggs whilst they are being transported to the boat, and also if you want to put something on top of them when in storage.”
In line with the Food Standards Agency’s official advice, whole eggs should be kept in a “cool dry place”, ideally in the refrigerator, to ensure they remain at a stable cool temperature and stay “safe”.
