Safety and traditional guidelines for preparing easter eggs

Food safety guidelines recommend that fresh eggs be consumed within three to five weeks of purchase, while hard-boiled eggs should be stored in the refrigerator for no more than seven days. To minimize the risk of foodborne illnesses such as salmonella, eggs must be boiled for approximately 12 minutes until both the yolk and white are firm. After cooking, they can be cooled under running water or left to reach room temperature before refrigeration. Edible food dyes are safe to use, even if minor leakage occurs through the shell. Traditionally, many Greeks dye eggs on Holy Thursday using natural ingredients like madder root, which contains the pigment alizarin. Food blogger Angela Kontou recommends soaking crushed madder roots overnight to achieve deep red shades for festive breads. This root can be sourced from specialized spice shops, such as those located on Evripidou Street in Athens.