Be safe around eggs

Eggs can be found in 93 percent of American refrigerators. Follow these safety tips from the American Egg Board to enjoy economical eggs all year.

1. Do not keep raw eggs, cooked eggs or egg-containing dishes at room temperature for more than two hours. This includes the time spent preparing, transporting and serving.

2. When the temperature is above 85 degrees, do not keep eggs out of refrigeration more than 30 minutes.

3. Fresh eggs can be stored in the refrigerator for four to five weeks beyond the carton’s packing date. Hard-cooked eggs can be refrigerated up to one week.

4. Store raw eggs below 40 degrees. Keep them in their cartons on the middle or bottom refrigerator shelf, which is where the refrigerator is coolest.

5. Cook any egg dishes or recipes containing eggs to 160 degrees until the yolk and white are both firm.

6. When transporting eggs or products that contain eggs, store in a cooler with ice or cooling packs.