Have you ever noticed, right in the middle of a preparation, that the eggs have expired? Sometimes the eggs are in an undated container and you don't know if you should throw them away or if they are still edible. Thankfully it's not difficult to identify rotten eggs and this article will help you do that. In addition, you will also find valuable tips to determine its freshness.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Check for Freshness
Step 1. Place the egg in question in a large bowl or glass along with cold water and check its buoyancy
Inside each egg there is a small air pocket which, over time, gets bigger and bigger improving the egg's ability to float.
- If the egg goes to the bottom and lays on its side, it means that it is very fresh.
- If it rests vertically on one end that touches the bottom, it is not a very fresh egg, but it is still safe to eat.
- If the egg floats, it's not fresh. This doesn't mean it's rotten or inedible. You should open it and check its condition (even with the sense of smell).
Step 2. Bring the egg close to your ear and shake it, paying attention to the sound of the liquid
As the egg ages and loses both moisture and carbon dioxide through the shell, the yolk and albumen become dry and shrink, while the air pocket increases in volume. If the latter is large, the contents of the egg have more room to move and the lapping is stronger.
- A fresh egg doesn't make a lot of noise or make no sound at all.
- A sound of liquid indicates that it is an old egg, but it does not give you any information regarding its food safety.
Step 3. Break the shell and drop the contents into a large plate or bowl and inspect the quality of the yolk and egg white
Check if the liquid tends to remain compact or spreads in the container: over time the egg loses its integrity. If it feels watery and tends to spread, then it's past its coolest point.
- If the yolk breaks easily, the egg is old.
- If the yolk moves easily, it means that the chalaza (the denser bundles of egg white that hold the yolk in place) has weakened and the egg is old.
- Observe the color of the egg white. If it is cloudy, then the egg is very fresh. A clear egg white is typical of the old (but still edible) egg.
Method 2 of 3: Recognizing a Rotten Egg
Step 1. Break the shell, open the egg and pay attention to the smell
This is the best indicator of a rotten egg. An inedible egg smells bad and pungent as soon as you break it. The smell of sulfur is perceived as soon as the shell opens (sometimes even earlier), in this case the yolk and the albumen must be thrown away.
A rotten egg has this bad smell both cooked and raw
Step 2. Open the egg in a saucer and check the color
The color of the yolk changes according to the hen's diet, so the shades of yellow and orange are not excellent clues to understand its freshness. Instead you should pay attention to the egg white. If it is pink, green or iridescent, then there is the presence of the bacterium Pseudomonas and it is not edible. If you notice any black or green spots, then it is contaminated with a fungus and needs to be thrown away.
- If the yolk of a hard-boiled egg is surrounded by a green ring, it means it has been overcooked or the water has a high iron content. The egg is still safe to eat.
- If you find a trace of blood or pulp in the egg, know that it is still edible and does not mean that it is contaminated or rotten. The traces of blood are due to the rupture of the hen's capillaries during the formation of the egg and have nothing to do with freshness.
Method 3 of 3: Check Dates
Step 1. Check the expiration date on the package
Sometimes it is indicated with the words "to be consumed by" or with the abbreviation "EXP". Usually the date is established by counting 30 days from the day of packaging. If the eggs are stored in the refrigerator with their shells intact, then they are edible even one month after the expiration date.
- The date is indicated with the day and month. This means that eggs expiring on March 15 will have the writing 15/03.
- The wording "by" indicates the last useful date for sale to the public, after which the packages are removed from the shelves. This does not mean that the eggs are rotten or unusable.
Step 2. Check the date by which it is recommended to consume the eggs
Sometimes the deadline is indicated with the phrase "to be consumed preferably by" or with the English writing "best before". This date is usually established by counting 45 days from that of packaging. Eggs should be consumed within a week or two after this date.
The wording "preferably" indicates that by this date the eggs are very fresh, have better texture, flavor and excellent binding and thickening properties, but it does not mean that, after the printed day, the eggs will be rotten or inedible
Step 3. Read the deposition date
Sometimes the expiration date is not indicated on the eggs, but the laying date. In addition, eggs must be classified according to freshness in three categories identified with a letter. To belong to a certain category, eggs must meet minimum requirements. The eggs of category "A extra", also called "extra fresh", are no more than 9 days after laying, have not been treated or refrigerated and have an air chamber not exceeding 4 mm. After 9 days, we speak of category "A" eggs, fresh, untreated and unrefrigerated, with an inner tube not exceeding 6 mm; the minimum storage term indicated on the label is calculated in 28 days from the deposition date. Finally, we have second quality or "downgraded" category "B" eggs, which cannot be transferred directly to the consumer, but only to industrial companies in the food sector to be transformed into egg products, or to the non-food industry. The labeling of their packaging must clearly show the destination.
- Eggs can also be classified by size and weight.
- An alphanumeric code consisting of 11 characters is stamped on all eggs marketed in the European Union which identifies the type of farm, state, province, municipality and farm of origin.
Step 4. Throw out any eggs that have been refrigerated and then exposed to room temperature for two or more hours
Once the eggs have cooled, it is important that the temperature does not change. A cold egg exposed to higher temperatures becomes covered with condensation which encourages bacterial growth. Since the shell is a porous structure, bacteria can sometimes get inside and contaminate the egg white and yolk.
- To prevent temperature fluctuations, store eggs in the coldest part of the refrigerator, not in the door compartments. When you open and close the appliance, the food placed in the door undergoes temperature changes and the eggs may ooze.
- If you bought an egg that hasn't been washed and has been stored at room temperature, you don't need to refrigerate it. Most European countries provide for the sale of eggs at room temperature. This procedure is safe because the eggs are not washed (as is the case in the United States), so they have an intact natural barrier (cuticle) that keeps bacteria away from inside the shell.
Step 5. Refer to national laws to understand how long you can keep the eggs
If you have chickens and want to know when their eggs are no longer edible, then you need to inquire about guidelines issued by the Ministry of Agriculture or Health. In most cases, the eggs are perfectly safe for up to two months after they are laid (if not beyond).
