How to know if an egg is bad

Unfortunately for us, eggs are not the easiest food to determine their status, since basically the shell hides the status of the white and yolk. However, in this article we are going to give you several tricks to know if an egg is bad and prevent indigestion from time to time.

Almost everyone has faced this dilemma at some point: you take an egg out of the fridge, but you don’t remember how long it’s been there. Will it be bad or can I really still eat it? In addition, when the good weather arrives, the heat and with this salmonellosis, one or another digestive problem becomes more than frequent because of it.

Well, it is true that, over time, the quality of an egg begins to decrease as the air pocket inside increases and the white becomes finer. Nevertheless, an egg only goes bad when it begins to decompose due to bacteria or mold.

Knowing thisthere are some easy ways to tell if an egg is fresh And there are plenty of things you can do to prevent your eggs from going bad in the first place.

1. Check the expiration date

One of the easiest ways to tell if your eggs are still good is check the date on the carton. However, things get complicated when we take them out and store them in their respective space in the fridge.

If you are one of those who keeps them in the box, remember that the expiration date indicates the time that a store must put the eggs on sale (no more than 30 days after packaging), but not necessarily that the eggs have spoiled .

On the other hand, it does indicate the date from which the eggs are considered less fresh. If these are past the date printed on the carton, you may need to use another method to tell if it’s good or bad.

2. Do a smell and sight test

The smell test is the oldest, simplest and most reliable method to know if an egg is in bad condition. Spoiled eggs give off an unmistakable smell, regardless of whether they are raw or cooked.

If you can’t tell them apart with the shell, crack the egg into a clean plate or bowl and smell it. If something smells bad, throw out the egg and wash the bowl or plate with hot, soapy water before using it again. If the odor is normal, that is, if there is no odor at all, it is a good sign that the egg is still safe.

In addition to the nose, the eyes are a valuable tool to tell if an egg is good or bad. While the egg is still in its shell, check that the shell is not cracked, slimy, or dusty.

If the shell appears dry and undamaged, crack the egg into a white bowl before using. Look for any pink, blue, green, or black discoloration in the yolk or white, as these can indicate bacterial growth.

3. Perform a float test

To perform the float test, place the egg in a bowl of water. If the egg sinks, it is fresh and if it tips up or even floats, it is old. (this does not mean that it is bad, eye).

This test will only show you how old the egg is, just like the expiration date. And it is that an egg can sink and still be bad, while an egg that floats can still be good to eat.

Nevertheless, an egg in poor condition, as we have explained before, will generally float due to the large air chamber that forms at its base. Eggs that float, just in case, should be discarded.

How to prevent them from going bad

Now, knowing all this, How do I keep the eggs to prevent them from spoiling? First of all, when shopping, avoid boxes that have cracks or dirt. After this, take the eggs home as soon as possible and do not leave them in a hot car.

It is preferable that the eggs are refrigerated in the carton they come in to prevent breakage, odor absorption and water loss. Store eggs in the coldest part of the fridge, rather than on the door, where the temperature fluctuates more.

Do not leave refrigerated eggs at room temperature for more than two hoursnor more than 6 weeks in the fridge (since you are going to have them in the cardboard, just seeing the date will be enough to know if you should discard them or not).