How To Tell if a Chicken Egg is Bad
Have you ever pulled a carton of eggs out of the fridge and had to wonder if they were still good or not? Whether you’re cooking, baking, or just plain starving, you need to know NOW. Luckily, I have the answer for you! In his article, I’m going to explain how to instantly tell if a chicken egg is bad, and I’m also going to give you some care tips for storing your eggs!
Float test for Chicken Eggs
There is a simple test to determine if your eggs are still good to eat. It’s called the “Float Test” and all you need is a bowl of cold water. Place the egg in question into the bowl of cold water and observe one of the following:
• The egg sinks and lays flat on the bottom of the bowl.
This means your egg is fresh and good to eat!
• The egg sinks but stands on end.
This means the egg is not very fresh, but is still perfectly fine to eat.
• The egg floats.
THE EGG IS BAD so throw it away
The reason why the float test works is because as an egg gets old, air starts to enter through the porous shell. If enough air gets in, it will create a buoyancy, causing the egg to float. It also promotes bacterial growth in the egg, causing it to become rotten.
Refrigeration Guidelines for Chicken Eggs
The question often comes up, “Do I have to refrigerate my eggs?” and the easy answer is, “It depends.”
If you bought your eggs from the grocery store, then chances are you bought them already refrigerated. (The USDA mandates that any egg farm with over 3000 hens must wash and refrigerate their eggs immediately to reduce the risk of salmonella). If this is the case, then they must remain refrigerated.
According to the Egg Safety Center, refrigerated eggs should stay out for no more than 2 hours at a time. If previously refrigerated eggs sit out at room temperature, they will begin to sweat and this can lead to bacterial growth and contamination. Also, the egg carton should be stored in the main fridge compartment but not in the door, because the door is more prone to temperature fluctuations.
You may be fortunate enough to have your own layer hens at home, or get fresh eggs from a local farmers market.
In this case, the eggs might be at room temperature. It is perfectly fine to store fresh eggs at room temperature as long as they haven’t been previously refrigerated or washed. Once the eggs have been cooled down, they must be stored in the fridge.
Eggs can be safely stored in the refrigerator for about 1 month. If stored at room temperature, most sources agree they are good for 1-2 weeks, while some say up to a month. (Mine are always gone well before the expiration date). If you decide to keep your eggs fresh, don’t wash them until immediately before use to prevent cooling them. And if you are questioning if an egg is good or not, use the float test to help you decide!
Can you store eggs in the freezer?
According to the Egg Safety Center, if you have too many eggs and are afraid they will go bad, you can actually store them in the freezer! You can’t just toss the carton in there though. The eggs need to be cracked, beaten until smooth, and stored in a sealed container. Once in the freezer, they can keep for up to a year before having to be discarded.
To thaw your eggs, remove the sealed container and either place it in the refrigerator, or run the container under cold water until thawed. DO NOT leave them on the counter to thaw at room temperature because this can promote bacterial growth in the eggs.
Conclusion
So that’s basically it! A quick and simple test to determine if your eggs are good or bad, and some tips and tricks on how to store eggs properly! I hope this article helped, and if you would like to read other articles like it, make sure to subscribe below for weekly agricultural content!
About the Author
Cody earned a Master’s Degree in Nurse Anesthesia from Albany Medical College in 2017, after working as a Critical Care Registered Nurse for 6 years. Though he spends a lot of time in the operating room administering anesthesia, his passion lies on the farm. Cody grew up on Thistle Downs Farm, and a lot of the lessons he has learned over the years are reflected in his articles. For him, there is no place he’d rather be than right at home on the farm.