Find out whether eggs are good or bad. Learning to check eggs for freshness: the most effective methods

Sometimes even the most responsible housewife cannot remember how long chicken eggs have been in her refrigerator. A stale product can cause poisoning to the entire family, so be sure to check its suitability before cooking. The problem of expired products can occur not only in spontaneous markets, but also in supermarkets that have a well-known name.

Eggs contain vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates and fats, and amino acids. They occupy a place of honor not only in adults, but also in children’s diets. In terms of importance, they can be placed in second place after milk.

You should not start cooking until you are sure that the quality of the eggs is excellent. Don't forget that they may be sold out weeks before they hit the shelves. How to determine whether an egg is rotten or not?

• Why are they useful?
• How to check the quality?
• How can you identify a rotten egg without breaking it?
• How to store?
• Reviews and comments

The protein of this product is completely digestible human body. It is better to eat them boiled or fried. But raw ones can be dangerous if they contain an infection. They are rich in magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, zinc and other useful elements.

They should definitely be eaten by people who are rarely exposed to the sun, because they contain a lot of vitamin D. It is simply irreplaceable for strengthening bones. Lecithin has a beneficial effect on liver function, brain activity, and strengthens the walls of blood vessels. Lutene improves vision, and choline prevents development cancer cells. Folic acid indispensable if you are planning to become a mother.

The shell contains more than 30 trace elements, approximately 2 grams of calcium. It is useful to use in combination with lemon juice. Grind the shells, mix and add a teaspoon to food.

But to get all these benefits, you only need to eat a good, fresh, quality product.

How to check the quality?

How can you tell if an egg is rotten? Unfortunately, some unscrupulous consumers indicate the expiration date incorrectly. Therefore, the housewife must learn to determine the freshness of an egg “by eye.” Then it will be possible to avoid indigestion and other serious diseases that can only be treated in a hospital.

Rotten and fresh differ according to the following basic criteria:

• A three-day product does not have an unpleasant odor, unlike a spoiled one;

• If you shake a fresh egg, there will be no noise inside;
• The contents are rotten if they do not sink in a container of water;
• Unwind it - if it doesn’t stop for a long time, it means it’s been lying there for a long time.

The easiest way to recognize a rotten egg is to smell it. Stale has a characteristic smell that is difficult to confuse with any other. Another criterion is the yolk. It should not shake or knock against the walls. If you put it in the light, the yolk should be clearly visible. On a flat surface, rotten food will spin for a long time - this is another method that helps determine freshness.

Many people know how to identify a rotten egg by placing it in water. This method is based on the laws of physics. Fill a glass with two-thirds of the water and place the egg in it. If it is “not older than” 3 days, it will immediately drown in water. Week-old eggs will remain tilted, while rotten ones will float on the surface.

This is due to the fact that they are not airtight. Microorganisms can enter the pores that are present on the shell. If putrefactive processes have already begun, gases will be released that rise to the surface.

Of course, these methods cannot always be used in a store. The quality of the product is affected not only by weight, but also by the time when it was demolished. Eggs that are not yet three days old are assigned the highest grade. A week-old product is classified as the first grade, and a three-week-old product is classified as the second.

How can you identify a rotten egg without breaking it?

Its surface should be uniform, without cracks or chips. If the shell has a grayish tint and no shine, then it is already stale.

There is another verification method that will help the buyer in the supermarket determine the freshness of the product. You need to use an ovoscope - a special device for transillumination. When a dark yolk is immediately visible, and it is closer to the shell or sticks to it, darkening is visible, which means the product is “old”. Damaged ones are not visible at all. If you don't have a device, you can hold the product up to a light source and make sure there are no dark spots under the shell.

When you crack the egg, carefully examine the yolk.

In the fresh product it is tight and convex. If it is not fresh, the yolk will be flat and the white will be watery. Fresh ones are much more difficult to clean than old ones.

How to store?

IN fresh they can be stored for quite a long time, but no more than six weeks. They must be placed in the refrigerator separately from other products.

They absorb foreign odors very quickly. In addition, infections can enter through the pores if contaminated meat or fish is lying nearby. To close the pores, lubricate the shell with vegetable oil.

They need to be folded with the sharp “nose” down. Then the yolk will not affect the air layer, and will “settle” in the center. In this position, you can store in the refrigerator for up to five weeks. If the shell is cracked, they need to be eaten as quickly as possible.

Figuring out how to identify a rotten egg when boiling is not difficult. If it has already completely deteriorated, then bad smell will be felt immediately as soon as you pick it up. A rotten egg will differ from a normal egg when cooked. The protein will coagulate, and when it breaks, you will smell an unpleasant odor. Although the bacteria will die from high temperatures, you should not eat it - poisoning is inevitable.

As you can see, every housewife can check the quality of an egg without violating the integrity of its shell. We wish you more fresh, tasty and healthy dishes!

Eggs are a valuable source useful substances, practically, a storehouse of health. Despite certain restrictions, this product must be included in the human diet. It is extremely important to choose the right eggs, and to do this you need to know how to check eggs for freshness. Factory ones have markings that make the task easier. But if you take a farm product or store-bought eggs have been stored in your refrigerator for a long time? Outwardly, quality or damage does not manifest itself in any way. However there are several the right ways determine whether the product is suitable for food.

How to choose?

Some simple secrets will allow you to understand how fresh the product is. It must be remembered that during long-term storage the egg begins to dry out. If the product has been on display for a long time, then its inner part begins to separate from the shell. Before purchasing, you should shake the egg slightly to get an idea of ​​the consistency in the middle. If the product is not fresh, it will “lobble”.

By appearance You can also sometimes tell if an egg is fresh. If the chicken laid an egg recently, its shell will have a matte color. If the product has been on the shelf for a long time, the surface of the shell becomes glossy. When buying a product with a cassette backing, it is very important to look into the middle.

Sometimes sellers package fresh eggs with those that have already become unusable. Therefore, you should evaluate whether all eggs are the same color. However, unscrupulous sellers wash eggs. This shortens the shelf life, increases the risk of the product spoiling, and removes the glossy sheen that would indicate a long shelf life.

Pot of water

The simplest and most effective method to check the freshness of eggs is to use water. To do this, you need to fill the pan with water to approximately a level of 10 cm. Then an egg is placed in the water.

If the product is fresh enough, it will remain at the bottom. If it is stored for 1 week, it will rise to a vertical position. In this case, eggs can still be eaten, but it is better not to use them for children's menus. If the egg floats to the surface and floats perfectly on the water, then it is stale. It is better to dispose of it so as not to endanger the health of loved ones.

Breaking an egg

It is easy to check eggs for freshness directly during cooking. To be on the safe side and not spoil the main dish, it is better to break the eggs in a separate container. If it’s fresh, throw it away; if it’s spoiled, throw it in the trash. A rotten egg will give off a strong characteristic odor and dark color of the contents.

A stale but still edible egg will have a flat yolk and a liquid white like water. The fresh product has a convex yolk, and the white is quite dense, well collected at the core and there is a lot of it, it pours out easily. If the egg has been stored for a long time and begins to dry out, the white will thicken and decrease in volume.

Advice! If an egg from the store or refrigerator arrives with a crack, do not rush to throw it away. Wash it with soap more carefully than the whole one. And then cook for enough high temperature until the whites and yolks are completely coagulated. Most dangerous bacteria are neutralized, for example, salmonella is killed at 70° C. To completely disinfect eggs, eggs should be boiled for at least 5 minutes.

By smell

If the eggs were not stored in polyethylene, their freshness can be assessed by smell without breaking them. The shell has many pores and therefore actively absorbs foreign odors. It’s easy to guess from them if the product is lying on the shelves. A fresh egg has a smell similar to lime.

A broken egg will instantly reveal all its secrets. Even a slight smell of rotten meat means that the product must be disposed of immediately. This method is effective for both chicken and quail eggs.

Advice! If the egg is cracked, you can still hard boil it. To do this, you need to add more salt to the water: 2 tsp. for each egg.

By cooking

There is no point in boiling rotten eggs; they cannot be eaten! But if the product is not spoiled and cooked by peeling, it is easy to understand whether the egg is fresh or not. The “older” the product, the easier the shell comes off. In fresh meat, it will be quite difficult to separate from the protein. In this case, the thin film between the shell and the egg is held quite tightly.

By temperature

This method, like the previous one, is convenient only at home. Purchased eggs should be washed under running water at room temperature and wiped dry. Then touch the blunt and sharp part of the egg with your tongue.

If the product is fresh, its poles will differ in temperature: the blunt end will be warmer than the sharp one. If the egg cannot qualify for the “D” (dietary) label, the poles will be the same in temperature.

The resource "Womenburg.ru" strongly recommends at the time of purchase raw eggs pay attention to the packing date and expiration date indicated on the packaging. They will tell you with maximum accuracy about the freshness and quality of the product, if the storage conditions have not been violated.

It is quite important not only to determine the freshness of the product, but also to store it correctly:

1. Try to use the product before the expiration date has expired. The information on the packaging will help you determine how much it costs to keep the product in the refrigerator.
2. Never wash eggs for storage. The shell is covered with a thin protective film; if it is removed, the product will deteriorate very quickly. You need to wash eggs before cooking.
3. It is better to store the product in the refrigerator at a temperature of 6 degrees. It is these conditions that prevent the development of salmonella.
4. Unfortunately, if the eggs were stored at room temperature (which many sellers are guilty of), then it will not be possible to disinfect them by moving them to the refrigerator. At the very least, the proliferation of the pathogenic microorganism will slow down or stop.

Using one of the above methods, it is quite easy to understand whether an egg can be eaten. The product will be safe for health only if the storage and preparation conditions are not violated.

The benefits of eggs cannot be overestimated. They are rich in protein, amino acids, minerals, vitamins B, A and E. However, this product is useful if it is fresh. Once the expiration date expires, it becomes dangerous to consume. Let's learn how to determine the freshness of eggs using simple methods.

Shelf life

First, let's look at what period of storage of eggs is considered the most optimal. It is recommended to keep the product at a temperature not lower than +4 °C and not higher than +24 °C, preferably in the refrigerator. Eggs do not need to be washed or processed in any way before storing. In this case, they remain good for about 3-4 weeks. If you pre-washed the eggs, it is recommended to cook them within 4 days.

If you break the shell on the way home, store the white and yolk separately for no more than 4 days. It is best to use broken eggs within 1-2 days. After preparation, the product remains good for about 1 week.

Popular verification methods

Most quick method, which allows you to determine the freshness of eggs - visual and tactile assessment. The shell should be hard and smooth. Its surface is matte and dry, with a pleasant uniform shade. Once the product begins to deteriorate, the shell becomes dull and soft to the touch. Its color is dark and uneven. The surface acquires a specific shine.

You can also hold the egg near a bright light source. If the product is spoiled, a characteristic darkening is observed in its center. If the egg gives off a distinct rotten smell, throw it away without hesitation.

A fresh chicken or quail egg weighs more than a spoiled one.

Another method is suitable if you need eggs to prepare some dish. Break the shell and pour the contents onto a saucer. The freshness of the product is indicated by the following signs: the dense white practically does not spread over the surface, and the round yolk rises significantly. There is no pungent odor. If the shelf life is running out, the protein is quite liquid and quickly spreads, filling the entire bottom of the saucer. The yolk does not hold its round shape.

You can determine the freshness of eggs using a container of water. If the product sinks and lies at the bottom, it means it is fresh. The egg, which is stored for 2 weeks, is placed with the sharp end down and the blunt end up. Although it is not the first freshness, it can still be consumed. If the egg floats on the surface of the water, it means it is spoiled. It's best to throw it away. This is explained by the fact that over time, air accumulates under the shell, which pushes the egg to the surface of the water. This method is effective provided that the shell is intact and intact.

If you don't have time to experiment, just shake the egg. Grasp it with your index finger and thumb.

If you feel the yolk moving inside when shaking, the product is no longer fresh. To make sure of this, visually evaluate the white and yolk on the saucer.

The freshness of quail eggs also needs to be checked. There is a very simple way to do this. Weigh them on an electronic scale. A fresh egg weighs about 20 g, a rotten one - 5 g. This difference is due to a chemical process, as a result of which air accumulates under the shell instead of a liquid mass. These changes occur inside the egg after a certain period of time. Of course, approximate figures are given. They may vary slightly. The lower the weight of the egg, the longer it will last in the refrigerator.

The danger of spoiled eggs

Often, housewives immediately break eggs into a dish during cooking, forgetting to check their freshness first. And only then do they notice the pronounced greenish color and a specific rotten smell. As a result, many products have to be thrown away at once. Of course, it’s unpleasant when effort and money are wasted. But on the other side of the scale there is a huge danger of harming your health and that of your family by consuming a spoiled product.

Many people think that if eggs have only been in the refrigerator for a few days, they must be fresh. However, remember that you can bring an already spoiled product from the market or store. To prevent this, pay attention to the expiration date indicated on the packaging. Also, always check the freshness of your eggs using one of the methods listed above.

04.02.2019

When you cook anything with eggs, especially raw eggs, you need to be very careful. After all, if they go bad, you can get seriously poisoned.

Therefore, before you start cooking anything, it is important to make sure that the eggs haven't spoiled.

How can you tell if your eggs haven't spoiled?

There are several ways to check whether eggs are fresh or whether they are headed for the trash bin. For example, if you shake an egg and hear The egg hits the shell, which means that it is no longer fresh.

But there are other ways to check this.

Place the egg in a container of water

To do this, you will need a transparent container of water, such as a jug. Dip into it and carefully watch what happens next.

• If the egg quickly sank and remained at the bottom in a horizontal position, this means it is fresh.
• In case the egg will begin to slowly descend and remain at the bottom in an inclined or vertical position, this means that it is already on the verge.

Moreover, the greater the angle of inclination you observe, the older the egg. However, it can still be eaten and is quite safe.

• If the egg does not reach the bottom and remains floating in the middle, this indicates that it has already spoiled and it is better to throw it away.
• And if you see that the egg remains floating on the surface, this means that it has gone rotten. The fact is that when organic matter decomposes, it releases gases, thanks to which the egg does not sink. Throw it away quickly, but very carefully, because Rotten eggs have a terrible smell.

Boiled eggs

• If you boiled an egg and, cutting it in half, saw that the yolk was located in the center and the air chamber was small, this means that the egg was fresh and can be safely eaten.
• When the yolk is closer to the shell and you see a lot of empty space, the egg has gone bad.

Break the egg

Another easy way to check that eggs have not gone bad is to break them onto a plate.

• If you see that the egg is not spreading too much and the yolk is intact, it means it is fresh.
• Otherwise, it is better to refrain from using a stale product.

Check the date on the shell

The moment at which the hen laid her eggs is called “week 0” and this date is always indicated on the shell of each egg. From the third week they are no longer safe to eat and should be removed from sale.

Why? The shelf life of eggs ends in the 4th week from the labeling date.

From this moment on, eggs begin to lose their organoleptic properties and caution must be exercised when consuming them. especially after the 6th week.

There are many traditional methods to determine the freshness of eggs.

1. Inspect the egg shell: a fresh egg has a hard shell. If the shell is soft, the egg is definitely rotten.

2. A fresh egg shines through in the sun, that is, you can see the yolk inside it.

The operation of a special device for candling eggs, the ovoscope, is based on this phenomenon. It consists of a camera and a lamp built into it. The chamber has oval holes in the shape of eggs. When examined with an ovoscope, a fresh egg’s contents are not dark, almost transparent, and the yolk is less noticeable than an old one. Even through the ovoscope, the air chamber at the blunt end of the egg is clearly visible: during long-term storage it increases in size.

3. Shake the egg well in your hand. If you feel that the yolk is moving from side to side, then it is better to throw out such an egg.

4. Place the egg in the water. A fresh egg will remain at the bottom, an old one will float to the surface.

5. Boiled fresh eggs are harder to peel than old ones. And the shells come off easily from stale ones.

6. Place the egg on a flat surface on the table and twist it vigorously. A fresh egg will not spin at all. But a stale egg spins freely.

7. A fresh egg is heavier than a stale one. But not everyone is able to determine the freshness of eggs by weight...

Did you know that...

• The shelf life of table eggs is 25 days.
• Based on freshness, eggs are divided into dietary and table. If an egg was laid by a chicken no later than seven days ago, it is a dietary egg; a week after its appearance, the egg becomes a table egg.

Experienced cooks recommend that before adding an egg to a dish, break it into a separate bowl to check if it is rotten. However, the smell of rotten eggs still remains and spoils the rich aroma of the kitchen cooking. It is possible to determine the freshness of eggs without breaking the shell; there are even several ways to do this.

How to check eggs for freshness

Photo by Shutterstock

Water test

One of the most popular tests for egg freshness is testing with water. Pour fresh, cold tap water into a saucepan that is at least as high as the length of an egg, or simply fill the sink with water. Drop the eggs one at a time and watch what happens to them:

If the eggs settle to the bottom, then they are fresh, they are no more than 2-3 days old; - if the eggs lie on the bottom, but at the same time move up and settle down again, then they are about a week old; - eggs sink to the bottom with a sharp tip and balance on it, which means they are stored for about 2-3 weeks; - if the eggs float on the surface of the water, they are very old and, most likely, have had time to rot.

This test is one of the oldest; it was first described in cookbooks early XVIII century.

Very fresh eggs are not suitable for all dishes; for example, for hard-boiled eggs, it is better to use products that are more than a week old

Listen to the eggs

Another way to identify a rotten egg requires good, sensitive hearing. Bring the egg to your ear and shake gently, listen. If there is something splashing and gurgling inside the egg, it means it is rotten. The sound of a rotten egg will be barely audible. Fresh eggs do not make any sound when shaken.

Smell the eggs

Wash the egg shells with water or detergent fragrance-free and smell the shell. Hydrogen sulfide breaks down the egg membrane and penetrates the porous surface of the shell, which is why you can smell it from rotten eggs.

Keep an eye on the date

Eggs rot over time or when bacteria get inside through punctures or cracks through the protective membrane, so when choosing eggs, pay attention to the date and check the integrity of their shells. If you bought fresh whole eggs, you don't have to worry about them for 1-2 weeks. If you have a lot chicken eggs and you won't have time to use them all in a few weeks, freeze them.

The problem of food freshness is observed not only in spontaneous markets, but also in “name” supermarkets. And if most products have an expiration date, then there is a category of products where you have to determine freshness “by eye”. First of all, these are semi-finished meat products and, of course, eggs. Eating spoiled eggs can lead to both indigestion and more serious diseases that can only be treated in a hospital. To avoid negative consequences, we suggest considering the differences between a fresh egg and a rotten one.

Signs of freshness of unbroken eggs

The easiest way to recognize a rotten egg is to smell it. Rotten eggs have a characteristic unpleasant odor that is difficult to confuse with anything else. The second sign is a soft shell. When shaking, the yolk should not be felt in the egg, knock or hit the walls, otherwise the egg is rotten.

When held up to light in a fresh egg, the yolk is clearly visible. You can also spin an egg on a flat surface: a rotten egg (since it is lighter) will spin for a long time, but a fresh one will quickly stop.

There is another good old-fashioned way to distinguish a fresh egg from a rotten one, based, by the way, on the laws of physics. A fresh egg is heavier than a rotten one, and if you fill a glass with water 3/4 full and put the egg in it, it will quickly sink, but this only applies to eggs no older than three days. Eggs that are a week old will be in a vertical position in the water, but a rotten egg will remain on the surface.

Of course, not all of these methods can be used to check eggs in a store. In this case, you need to pay attention to the type of eggs. Because it depends not only on the weight of the eggs, but also on when they were laid. The highest grade includes eggs that were laid three days ago, the first grade is a week old, and the second grade is three weeks old. There is another way of checking that is available to advanced buyers in modern supermarkets - to check the egg with a special device - an ovoscope. This device illuminates the eggs, and in the “old” ones a dark yolk immediately becomes visible, which is close to the shell or even sticks to it, or a large air chamber.

Signs that broken eggs are fresh

After breaking the egg, look closely at the yolk. If the yolk is convex and tight, it means the egg is fresh, laid a few days ago. A stale egg (three weeks old) has a flat yolk and a watery white.

A fresh boiled egg is difficult to peel, but a spoiled egg is easy to peel.

Conclusions website

1. A rotten egg has a characteristic odor; a fresh egg has no odor.
2. In a rotten egg, the yolk hits the walls when shaken; when shaking a fresh egg, no extraneous sounds are heard.
3. When unrolling, a stale egg will spin for a long time, while a fresh one will quickly stop.
4. Spoiled eggs float in the water, while fresh eggs sink.
5. The freshest eggs are assigned the highest grade, those that are not older than a week are assigned the first grade, and those that are three weeks old are assigned the second grade.
6. If you determine freshness with an ovoscope, rotten eggs will have a large air chamber and a dark yolk.
7. When broken, a fresh egg has a convex yolk, while a stale egg has a watery white and a flat yolk.
8. If you boil an egg, then a fresh one will be difficult to clean, but an “older” one will be easy to clean.