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5 Ways to Tell If an Egg Is Fresh or Rotten
Eggs are a staple in many kitchens, used for everything from baking to breakfast dishes. However, knowing whether an egg is still good to eat is essential for both safety and taste. Thankfully, there are several simple ways to determine if an egg is fresh or has gone bad. By performing a few easy checks, you can avoid wasting eggs and ensure you’re consuming the freshest product possible.
Here are 5 ways to tell if an egg is fresh or rotten:
1. The Float Test:
The float test is one of the easiest and most reliable methods to check the freshness of an egg. As eggs age, the air pocket inside them enlarges, causing them to become more buoyant in water.
How to do it:
- Fill a bowl with cold water.
- Gently place the egg into the water.
- Fresh eggs: They will sink to the bottom and lay flat on their sides.
- Slightly older eggs: They will stand upright on the bottom of the bowl, but still touch the surface.
- Rotten eggs: These will float to the top of the water, indicating that they have gone bad and should be discarded.
Why it works: As eggs age, moisture and air seep in while the contents shrink, which causes the egg to become more buoyant. If the egg floats, it’s past its prime.
2. The Sniff Test:
While this method isn’t as scientific as the float test, it’s a quick way to determine if an egg has gone bad. Eggs have a natural, neutral smell when fresh, but when they spoil, they develop a sulfurous, unpleasant odor.
How to do it:
- Crack the egg open into a bowl.
- Smell it carefully.
- Fresh eggs: They will have no noticeable odor or a very faint, neutral smell.
- Rotten eggs: They will emit a strong, foul, sulfuric smell. If you detect this, it’s a clear sign that the egg should be thrown out.
Why it works: A rotten egg produces hydrogen sulfide gas, which is what causes the unpleasant smell. If the egg smells bad, it’s not safe to eat.
3. Check the Expiration Date:
One of the simplest ways to assess whether an egg is fresh or expired is to check its expiration or “use by” date. However, eggs can sometimes remain good past the printed date if they’ve been stored correctly.
How to do it:
- Look at the packaging for the “sell by” or “use by” date.
- If the date has passed, use one of the other methods mentioned above to further assess the egg’s freshness.
