Day 11: What I Learned About the Shelf Life of a Hard Boiled Egg

Logic would dictate that if a raw egg can last in your refrigerator for a few weeks before turning bad, then a cooked egg should last at least as long, if not longer. But no.

The egg shell has a natural coating, sometimes called a cuticle or bloom, that protects it from spoilage. During the processing (washing) much of this is removed, but enough remains to let the egg stay fresh for a few weeks. Once you boil the egg the cuticle is destroyed and the shell is penetrable by bacteria. A hard boiled egg only lasts a week, providing you have kept it properly refrigerated and free of the introduction of bacteria.

I feel certain that somewhere in my yard is an unfound Easter egg from years ago. I now know it's not going to be edible.