As of August 1, 2026, charitable food assistance programs in Minnesota that receive donated eggs from retailers are now allowed to distribute them to end consumers up to 30 days past their quality assurance date.
Gov. Tim Walz signed the Shell Egg Bill (SF3891) into law on May 26, 2026. The law supports balanced nutrition for all Minnesota families and reduces food waste across the state.
For eggs, a “best by…” or quality assurance date represents the guarantee of maintaining grade (usually AA or A). It is not an indicator of food safety, and therefore eggs with a past quality assurance date may still be safe to consume, provided they have been stored and handled appropriately.
To be donated, the eggs must meet the following criteria:
- Contained in original packaging (repackaging is not permitted)
- Previously candled and graded
- Not more than 30 days past the original quality assurance date
- Continuously refrigerated
On the receiving end, food assistance programs must apply a new label to the eggs with the following information:
- Name of the food shelf
- “Distribute within 30 days of carton date” OR “Distribute by DATE”
- “Donated Eggs – Not for Resale”
Eggs that have not been distributed to consumers by the end of 30 days past the original quality assurance date must be discarded. For more information, contact the MDA Meat, Poultry, and Egg Inspection program at 651-201-6300 or MDA.MeatPoultryEgg@state.mn.us. Read the full text of the law online.
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Media Contact
Larry Schumacher, MDA Communications
651-201-6629
larry.schumacher@state.mn.us
