We all know that breakfast is an essential meal of all. That is why more and more people these days are trying to begin their mornings healthily. What can be better than a fresh toast, a cup of hot coffee and eggs with bacon? Well, it depends upon your preferences, but eggs are most often the food of choice most suitable for breakfast. However, can you imagine how ruined your day will be if you crack a rotten egg open? That is why in order to avoid that it is vital that you know how to tell if an egg is good or bad. Today, we are going to share with you a list of ways how to tell if an egg is bad. Read on!
The Float Test
To begin with, we are going to speak about how to tell if an egg is bad in water. Truth be told this is the fastest and the most accurate way to help you figure out how fresh the eggs are. All you need to do is to place an egg into the bowl of room temperature water. Now, you need to observe the way the egg behaves. If it sinks to the bottom – it is undoubtedly fresh, however, if it floats – you need to throw it out as soon as possible. Yet, there is a third option – the egg stands upright at the bottom. This means that the egg is a few weeks old, but it is still edible.
In case you wonder why does this method work – the answer is purely scientific. The thing is that due to the pores in eggshell the air can get in. The more there air there is, the older is the egg. As simple as that! One more thing, if the egg is a couple weeks old, it is best if you hard-boil it. While fresh eggs are best to use for an omelet.
Sniff Test
Another useful and quick way how to tell if eggs are good is to smell them. Yes, you read it right! All you need to do to figure out if the eggs are good is to sniff them. The thing is that good eggs do not smell at all, while bad eggs smell like sulfur. However, in case you feel like you are not sure if your diagnosis is correct, all you need to do is to crack the egg and smell it once again. If there is no smell, you can carry on with your breakfast. If you smell any weird scent, you should better get rid of such an egg.
Visual Inspection
There is also a visual egg test that will help you determine whether it is still edible. First of all, you need to check the egg for cracks, slime or powder. Whereas, cracks do not necessarily mean that the egg is rotten. The slime on the shell means that there are bacteria present. The dust on the shell means that the mold is growing. In case such a visual inspection does not seem to be precise enough, you can crack the egg and check whether there is any change in egg white coloring. If you see something green, pink, blue or black – dispose of the egg straight away. If there is no such discoloration, you can smell the egg if it still smells fine and looks okay you can proceed with the preparation.
Plate Test
The truth is that there is one more classic way how to tell if an egg is bad. However, you need to be aware of the fact that you are going to need to crack the egg for that. That is why if you are about to boil the egg you need to choose another method. So, all you are bound to do is to crack the egg onto the plate and inspect the yolk. If the yolk has a nice, dome-like shape – the egg is fresh. But if it spreads out – it is not that fresh. Yet, you need to take other factors into consideration, such as the odor and the coloring, to be a 100% sure if it is safe to consume the inspected egg.
Check The “Sell By” Date
Last but not least, you need to pay proper attention to the ‘sell by’ date when you are purchasing eggs. The truth is that the ‘sell by’ and expiration date are two different dates. The eggs can remain fresh enough even past the two of them. However, it is better to be safe than sorry. That is why you need to remember that the eggs will remain good enough for almost a month after the ‘sell by’ date. It should be mentioned that even though we have pointed out the separate ways of how to tell if an egg is bad it is always a more practical approach to use them as a complex.
Tips To Store Eggs
We have already discussed the ways to tell whether eggs are good to consume or bad. However, it should be mentioned as well how you should store eggs to prolong their freshness.
- Keep them in the fridge It goes without saying that cool temperatures have a higher chance to prolong the life of almost any product and eggs are not the exception. That is why if you keep your eggs in the middle compartment of your fridge you will keep them fresh longer.
- Keep them in the carton The carton protects the eggs, so it is better to keep them in it instead of out of it.
- Washing If you wash the eggs and then place them in the fridge, it is a sure way for them to rot away. The thing is that water washes off the protective layers of eggs and that leads to rotting. It is best to clean them just before the use, not sooner.
In case you wonder how to tell if an egg is bad – you have come to the right place. We have gathered here all the best practical and simple ways to determine whether your eggs are still good to eat.
FAQ: How To Tell If An Egg Is Bad
Can you eat eggs that float?
An egg is old if it tilts upwards or even floats. This is due to the fact that as an egg ages, the air pocket inside it expands as water is released and replaced by air. The egg may float if the air pocket grows large enough. Also, an egg can sink and still unfit for table, whereas an egg that floats may be edible.
Do eggs really expire?
A date, such as a “best before” is frequently printed on egg cartons. However, if properly stored, eggs can stay edible far beyond their expiration date. So, in a nutshell, yes, it is ok to eat expired eggs.
Can I use out of date eggs in a cake?
Eggs stay edible past their “best before” date if thoroughly cooked until both yolk and white are solid, or if used in dishes where they are properly cooked, such as bakery products.
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