Have You Ever Noticed The Numbers on Egg Cartons Under the ‘Best By’ Date? Here’s What They Really Mean


There is no shortage of eggs in the grocery store aisle, and while there are a variety of white and brown eggs to organic and free-range, all have one thing in common: the number on the carton. You will definitely find a code of numbers on the side of the egg carton sitting in your fridge right now.

Some of these numbers, of course, refer to the “best used by” date of the eggs. On the carton, you’ll also notice that there are some additional numbers. The mysterious numbers aren’t there by accident, and they serve a very practical purpose that may just change how you select the eggs you buy at the grocery store. Learn about the Best-by date and enjoy your eggs!

1. The Best-By Date
The FDA does not require egg manufacturers to give eggs a best by date. Given that, it is logical that the date isn’t actually accurate.

2. Julian Date
The best way to determine the age of an egg is to find the Julian Date located close to the best by date. This is just a 3 digit number that indicates when the eggs were packaged. Thus, the number 359 would have been packaged on the 25th of December. It is given because manufacturers have a month to pack the eggs after they are laid.

3. Keep Cold
Keep in mind that you need to store your eggs in the fridge to ensure they stay fresh for up to five weeks. After that, the eggs are already spoiled.


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