FDA Reveals If It's Safe to Eat Dyed Easter Eggs

It’s Easter weekend and that means lots people will be dying eggs!

As children (and adults) plan to get out their hard-boiled eggs, vinegar, and dye kits, we’ve decided to check with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to see if it’s safe to eat these dyed eggs once you’ve finished coloring them.

Keep reading to find out more…

Unfortunately, most eggs are not safe to eat once you’ve finished dying them, but it has nothing to do with the food coloring, since store-bought kits are safe for consumption.

However, the main safety concern is how long the eggs are left out of the refrigerator once you’ve finished dying and decorating them.

According to the FDA, you should not eat any eggs – or egg dishes – that have been out of the refrigerator for “more than 2 hours or for more than 1 hour when temperatures are above 90° F. Bacteria that can cause illness grow quickly at warm temperatures (between 40° F and 140° F).”

If bacteria does grow, and you contract a foodborne illness, and symptoms may include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, or flu-like symptoms.

The FDA recommends that you put the eggs right back into the refrigerator after you finishing dying them, then making them safe to eat.

The FDA also recommends keeping egg dishes on ice if they’re going to stay out for longer than two hours.

Make sure to keep your Easter eggs refrigerated if you plan on eating them this weekend!