Hard-boiled eggs beautifully dyed in vibrant colors for Easter might look good enough to eat, but can you safely eat them?
The short answer is yes, with a significant catch.
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WATCH HEREThe U.S. Food & Drug Administration implores consumers to fully cook the eggs first and make sure they are not out of the fridge too long before eating them.
"Easter eggs should be hard-boiled before coloring," the FDA said in its "Note about Easter eggs" online. "Do NOT eat them after hiding or playing with them. Bacteria and viruses picked up on the shells can be transferred to the edible part of the egg."
Before hard-boiling the eggs, ensure they are clean and the shells are not cracked.
"Cook eggs until both the yolk and the white are firm," the FDA said to prevent salmonella, a common cause of food poisoning. Food-safe color should be used when dyeing the eggs.
This might seem pretty standard to those with a history of dyeing Easter eggs, but the next piece of advice may be forgotten.
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"Never leave cooked eggs or egg dishes out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours or for more than 1 hour when temperatures are above 90° F," the FDA says.
That means keep the cooked eggs in the fridge before serving them and don't let them linger on the buffet table for too long.
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SIGN UP "Keep cold egg dishes on ice if they are going to stay out longer than 2 hours," the FDA advises.
Sickness can occur within 20 minutes of consuming dangerous foodborne bacteria, the FDA warns, and usually presents within 1 to 3 days of eating the contaminated food.
"If you think that you or a family member has a foodborne illness, contact your healthcare provider immediately," the FDA says.
