from Food for Good Health website
Eggs
in the shell are easy to store. Leave them wide end up in their closed carton,
and keep them in the refrigerator. The carton lets air circulate around the
eggs and protects them from breakage. Do not wash the eggs; washing will remove
their protective covering.
Eggs stored in the refrigerator at 40°F or slightly lower will retain
their high quality for several weeks. If kept too long, the eggs may develop
an off flavor and lose some of their cooking qualities.
Keep raw leftover egg whites or egg yolks in the refrigerator in a tightly
closed container. Cover the yolks with cold water or milk before storing
them so they don't dry out. For best results, as well as food safety, use
these leftover eggs within a few days. You can also refrigerate hard cooked
eggs in the shell for 7 to 10 days. Raw eggs in the shell actually keep longer
than hard-cooked eggs because the cooking removes the natural, protective
coating on the eggshell. If you become confused about which eggs are raw and
which are cooked, try spinning them gently. The cooked eggs will spin; the
raw eggs will not. Another easy way to keep the eggs separated is to mark
the cooked eggs with a pencil.
Use any cracked eggs in well-cooked recipes. Cooking will destroy the
bacteria that may get through the crack. Do not use cracked eggs for uncooked
recipes, such as meringues.
Fresh, raw eggs out of the shell can also be frozen whole or separately as
yolks and whites. Frozen egg whites will whip just as well after thawing as
fresh egg whites; just be sure to use them right away. You will need to add
salt or sweetening to egg yolks to prevent them from becoming gummy. Blend
whole eggs slightly before freezing. Frozen eggs will keep for 9 months to
1 year in a tightly covered container.
Remember that eggs in the shell and hard-cooked eggs are not suitable for
freezing. Eggs in the shell would expand and crack in the shell. The whites
of the hard cooked eggs would get tough and rubbery.