We buy eggs in the market or in the supermarket. Unfortunately, it is impossible to check this product for freshness right at the counter, you have to trust the stickers with the expiration date. And only at home you can understand whether fresh eggs were bought or not.

It is simply impossible to determine the freshness of eggs, which is called “by eye”. This product can be kept for a long time room temperature and no external manifestations are imperceptible. Often, buyers ask the seller how fresh the eggs are and the answer is always the same: “Fresh eggs, take them.” You can check whether the egg is really fresh by breaking it and understanding the freshness by its characteristic smell. If it is repulsive, then the egg is spoiled. But breaking eggs all in a row is not included in our plans, so we will check the freshness of eggs in other ways.

How to check the freshness of eggs in water

Take a large container, such as a saucepan. You need to pour cold water into it directly from the tap (no more than 10 cm), and then place the eggs in it. You can take turns in order not to get confused and determine the freshness of each product sequentially.

How to understand the freshness of eggs:

• If the eggs fell to the bottom and do not float to the top, then you are lucky - you bought the eggs fresh, fresh.
• If you see that the eggs are slightly raised with a blunt tip up, then this means that the eggs are no longer very fresh. They can still be used, but not fresh, but to cook hot dishes (pastries, scrambled eggs, scrambled eggs).
• If the eggs float, then they are definitely spoiled and such a product is generally forbidden to be eaten. These eggs must be discarded immediately. Do you know why it happens that the egg floats to the surface in the water? Every day the moisture gradually evaporates and this space fills with air. The older the product, the more air it contains and therefore the eggs will float.

There is also a similar way to check eggs, you need to pour salt into the water to make the solution concentrated. You also need to lower the eggs and see: if they lie at the bottom, then the “age” of such a product is approximately from 2 to 7 days. If the egg rises with a blunt end, and the sharp one remains “glued” to the bottom, then such a product is approximately 10 days old. If the eggs float in a saline solution, then such eggs are already about 2 weeks old. If the eggs float to the surface of the salt solution and “stick out” of it, then such eggs are forbidden to be eaten, they are not fresh.

Other Ways to Check Eggs for Freshness

An egg can be broken if one of the eggs tested in water floats up, and then examine the protein and yolk. These components look like this:

• if the protein is liquid, and the yolk has become flat, then the egg is not fresh;
• if the protein is dense and viscous, and the yolk is convex, then the egg is fresh.

Another way to check eggs for freshness: you just need to shake the egg, if you didn’t hear anything, then the eggs can be safely eaten if you hear a “squish” or splash, as well as any other sound, this means that there is air inside, which means This egg is no longer fresh and should not be eaten.

About the expiration date and rules for storing eggs

The manufacturer always indicates the expiration date of the product on the packaging. If the eggs were stored correctly, in compliance with all the rules, then they will be fresh.

What to look for when buying eggs:

• You need to buy fresh eggs, so pay attention to the expiration date of the product. If expired, don't risk it.
• You need to store the eggs in a cold place - in the refrigerator at a temperature not higher than +6 o C. If you keep the eggs at home on the table, they will deteriorate faster.
• Boil the eggs for at least 5 minutes.
• If the expiration date has expired, then these eggs can be eaten, but only on condition that the eggs were stored in the refrigerator and you need to cook such a product at a sufficiently high temperature (from +70 ° C).
• If you see that the egg has burst, then it is forbidden to store it. It is desirable to prepare something from such a product.

Have you ever had such a situation when you were preparing a dish, and already in the process of cooking you noticed that the eggs had expired? Or are the eggs stored in a container with no expiration date so you're not sure if they're safe to use or should be thrown away? Fortunately, determining that an egg is spoiled is not difficult at all. From this article, you will learn not only how to identify a spoiled egg, but also how to find out the degree of its freshness.

Steps

Freshness test

Place the egg whose freshness you want to determine in a bowl or wide glass with cold water and see if it floats. There is a small air chamber inside the egg, which gets larger over time as more air enters the inside of the egg through the pores of the shell. The more air enters the egg, the larger the air chamber becomes, and the egg becomes buoyant.

Hold the egg to your ear, shake it, and listen for a squelching sound. Over time, liquid and carbon dioxide evaporate from the egg shell, the yolk and protein begin to dry out and shrink, and the air chambers in the egg increase. Large air cavities create free space for the egg inside the shell, which is why the squelching sound occurs.

Crack an egg over a plate or bowl and check the whites and yolks. The purity and integrity of an egg declines over time, so an old egg will not be as complete as a fresh one. Pay attention to whether the egg spreads on the plate, or remains compact. A runny or watery-looking egg with apparently runny whites is far from pristine freshness.

Definition of a bad egg

Expiry date check

1. Check the expiration date on the packaging. The packaging may show an expiration date for the eggs, such as "Sell By", usually 30 days from the date of packaging. Eggs with intact shells that are stored in the refrigerator can be eaten within a month after the expiration date. In Russia and the CIS countries, such marking is not found.

   Check the "Expiration Date" on the package. On the packaging you can find words such as "Best before", "Use by". Usually it is 45 days from the date of packing. Try to consume eggs no later than two weeks after this expiration date.

   In the US, eggs are marked with a 3-digit code that indicates the date the eggs were packed. Marking a sell-by date is not required by federal law (some states require it, others do not), but all eggs must be stamped with the packing date. The date is indicated by three digits according to the Julian calendar. For example, an egg packed on January 1st is labeled 001, an egg packed on October 15th is labeled 288, and an egg packed on December 3rd is labeled 365.

   Throw away eggs that were first stored in the refrigerator and then left at room temperature for more than two hours. If the egg has been refrigerated and cooled to a certain temperature, it is important to maintain that temperature further. A chilled egg in a warmer environment can become sweaty, and this will encourage the growth of bacteria on the outside. Due to the fact that the egg shell has a porous structure, bacteria from the outside can penetrate inside the egg and multiply there.

   If you have your own laying hens, learn how you can keep these eggs fresh. For long-term storage, it is recommended to select only fresh, recently collected unfertilized eggs with a strong shell without cracks. Collected eggs must be signed with a simple pencil. You don't need to wash the eggs. Domestic eggs are covered with a natural protective layer, so they can be stored for 4 or more months at a temperature of 10-15 degrees, and in the refrigerator - up to 9 months.

   • If you have doubts about the freshness of the eggs or think they are more than two months old, remember the signs of spoiled or old eggs that will help you determine if the existing eggs can be used in a recipe.

Warnings

• If the eggs are intended for consumption by people at risk (the elderly or children), choose the freshest eggs. Even though eggs can be eaten up to a few weeks past their expiration date, it's good to take extra precautions. In order not to harm the health of those whose immune system is weak or underdeveloped, it is necessary to minimize the risk of disease.

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Eggs are valuable food product which is used in every family. They are eaten as an independent dish or used as an additional ingredient in various recipes - soups, pastries, meatballs. They buy them in dozens and spend them gradually as needed. However, there are times when the expiration date is called into question. How to determine the freshness of eggs at home?

The freshness of a chicken egg depends on the production time and storage conditions.

Eggs can be divided into several types.

1. Dietary - the freshest, the shelf life of which at low temperatures does not exceed 7 days.
2. Canteens - 25 days at room temperature and 90 in the refrigerator.

Boiled chicken eggs can be refrigerated for up to 14 days if they are hard boiled. And if soft-boiled, then no more than two days. Cracked and peeled - no more than three days, and broken raw - only two days.

Easter, dyed in natural dyes (onion peel, vegetable juices), are stored for no more than two weeks. If dyed with artificial dyes, then the shelf life increases by another one or two days. A colorful thermal film that does not allow air to pass through greatly reduces freshness, such eggs should be eaten within the next three days.

And if you keep chickens, you can safely store fresh eggs for up to 3 months, in the refrigerator, of course. When buying homemade eggs on the market, even from a trusted seller, do not store them for a long time, make an amendment that they have been collected for more than one day for sale.

Most people keep their eggs in the refrigerator, there is a special shelf for them on any door. But it turns out that they are not recommended to be stored in this way, because the refrigerator is often opened and closed, so the products on the door are subject to temperature changes, which does not affect their freshness in the best way. But the vegetable compartment is best suited for eggs - these are closed containers with a constant temperature. The optimal mode is from +2 to +4 degrees.

Before putting the eggs in the refrigerator, they should not be washed - the shelf life will decrease to 12 days, because the protective film is washed off, the pores open, and the penetration of bacteria inside increases.

The shell has a porous structure and easily absorbs odors, so put the eggs in a closed container with a sharp spout down, then the yolks will be located in the center, and nothing will interfere with the supply of oxygen to the contents. Try not to let the eggs touch each other.

Many housewives keep eggs out of the refrigerator in the old fashioned way, for example, in enamel pans. This method of storage is possible if the temperature does not exceed 20 degrees. Eggs stay fresh for up to three weeks. It is recommended to wrap each in any paper and lay it with the sharp end down.

Salt is an excellent preservative. Dissolve salt in water at the rate of 1 tablespoon per liter of water, dip the eggs there and place in a cool, dark place. Eggs can be stored this way for up to one month.

How to know if eggs are fresh

Determining the freshness of an egg at home is quite simple. If you suspect that an egg is stale, try a few proven methods.

If the eggs are of industrial production, that is, they were laid down by chickens at a poultry farm, then each of them is stamped with the exact date of manufacture. This is very convenient, because you can always check how fresh the egg is.

On diet eggs the marking is applied in red, canteens are stamped in blue with the obligatory indication of the category:

• higher (CB) - large, reach 75 g;
• selective (CO) - quite large, 65-74.9 g;
• the first (C1) - from 55 g;
• the second (C2) - from 45 g;
• the third (C3) - from 35g.

Be sure to check the date of manufacture when buying and give preference to poultry farms in your region.

into the light

There is a special ovoscope device, by the way, it is easy to make it with your own hands in just 5 minutes. It shines through the eggs and determines their freshness. If the yolk is in the center, then the product is good for consumption. The presence of dark areas near the protein means that the testicles have lain for a week or two, but they can be eaten without problems. And stale eggs do not shine through at all.

Since you most likely do not have a device, then bring the egg to a light source with a power of at least 100 W and take a good look at it in the light. The following factors indicate stale eggs:

• an air gap of more than 9 mm between the shell and the protective film;
• blood ring or large clots (pinpoint blood inclusions are allowed).

If you have an ultraviolet lamp, then a fresh egg will show a bright red color, and a spoiled egg will show a pale purple or gray color.

One of the most popular home methods is to determine the freshness of eggs in water. This method was also used by our great-great-grandmothers, who did not have a refrigerator and were not familiar with GOST for storing eggs.

Immerse the testicle in a glass of cold water and watch the result:

• lies at the bottom on its side - the freshest, recently demolished;
• at an angle: a sharp nose at the bottom, a blunt one surfaced - a week-old egg;
• stands in the middle of the glass with a blunt tip up - the egg is two to three weeks old;
• floats on the surface - rotten.

Eggshells are porous and breathable. The moisture inside evaporates over time, leaving air, which raises the testicle up. The older the egg, the higher it will rise in a glass of water.

visual inspection

Start your inspection with appearance shell, it should be rough and matte. Stale eggs have a characteristic sheen and gloss. The presence of cracks and chips is not allowed, only if you yourself did not save the egg on the way home.

Fresh eggs smell like lime, if there is a smell of hydrogen sulfide, the egg is rotten.

Shake the egg. Fresh will not make sounds, and spoiled content can gurgle.

Crack an egg onto a plate. The protein may be greenish or yellowish tinge due to carbon dioxide, which gives color. If the yolk is round and convex, and the protein holds its shape, then everything is in order. If the yolk is loose or flattened, the protein is transparent and does not separate from it, then the product is edible, but the expiration date is already running out. Sometimes there are pinpoint blood blotches in a broken egg - this is normal and not scary. If you are uncomfortable, remove the clot.

Perhaps you noticed protein flagella along the edges of the yolk? They are designed to hold it in the middle of the egg so that the embryo is in the warmest place. The presence of these flagella indicates freshness, over time they dissolve.

A stale egg will have an unpleasant odor, spread - the protein is liquid, and the yolk becomes flat.

The color of the yolk or shell does not indicate the statute of limitations, it depends on the feed of the bird and its breed. This also does not affect the nutritional value, except that brown eggs have a stronger shell.

Eggs are the third leading cause of food poisoning after meat and dairy products. Poisoning often occurs due to Salmonella bacteria, the incubation period is only 72 hours, it develops rapidly, and if urgent measures are not taken, it is possible death. The biggest danger of infection is eating raw eggs, the bacterium "lives" on the inside of the shell under a protective film.

IN Lately quail testicles are very popular, it is impossible to get infected with salmonellosis from them, because when quails rush, the egg comes out at a temperature of 40 degrees, while all bacteria die.

If you have allergic reactions to egg products, then you need to eat only fresh dietary eggs. The longer they are stored, the greater the likelihood of allergies.

Try not to buy dirty eggs with sticky droppings or feathers - this indicates poor hygiene in keeping chickens.

Conclusion

If in doubt, break the egg into a separate container before adding it to food, make sure that there is no unpleasant odor or foreign matter. Dirty shells should be washed beforehand so that harmful bacteria do not get into the dish. If the eggs in the recipe are not cooked, then use only dietary or freshly laid homemade eggs.

Buy fresh eggs and don't use them past their expiration date.

Mother of two children. I have been running a household for more than 7 years - this is my main job. I like to experiment, I constantly try various means, methods, techniques that can make our life easier, more modern, richer. I love my family.

To determine the freshness of eggs, there are many folk ways.

1. Examine 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.

This phenomenon is based on the operation of a special device for translucent eggs - an ovoscope. It consists of a chamber and a lamp built into it. The chamber has oval holes in the shape of eggs. In a fresh egg, when viewed with an ovoscope, the contents are not dark, almost transparent, and the yolk is less noticeable than in the 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 shifting from side to side, then it is better to throw out such an egg.

4. Dip the egg into the water. A fresh egg will stay at the bottom, an old one will float.

5. Boiled fresh eggs don't peel as well as old ones. And from stale shells lag behind easily.

6. Place the egg on a flat surface on the table and spin it hard. 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 ...

And did you know that...

• The shelf life of table eggs is 25 days.
• According to freshness, eggs are divided into dietary and table eggs. If the egg was laid by a chicken no later than seven days ago - the egg is dietary, a week after its appearance, the egg goes into the category of canteens.

How to find out if an egg is spoiled immediately after purchase or at home? Mikhail

The chicken egg is an important and valuable product of the human diet. Hostesses like to use it as the main component different dishes. And they want this product to be always fresh and of high quality.

Chicken eggs are a popular food product that satisfies the feeling of hunger well, because it has an increased calorie content. One eaten a day becomes an indispensable source of calcium, protein, iron, vitamins of groups B, E, A, and the most valuable trace elements.

Eggs can be checked for freshness immediately after purchase, or a simple test at home before use, when they lie for a while in the refrigerator. To determine whether you are buying fresh eggs in the market or in a store, you must first carefully examine the surface of the shell. Recently laid chicken eggs will have a matte, non-shiny surface.

Older specimens have a glossier and smoother surface. The method is not always relevant, since dishonest sellers can sometimes wash the product before selling, which has a positive effect on the state of its appearance.

In case of difference, the seller could mix fresh and older copies. Another method is shaking the eggs. It is possible to check their condition in this way when buying in order to determine the “talker” - a product that is no longer suitable for consumption. Because if the specimen has been lying for a long time, its insides have dried up and hang out inside the shell.

How to check at home

Sometimes eggs are stored in the refrigerator for a long time. Before preparing any dish, the hostess needs to determine the freshness of the eggs. So it’s really safe to protect your health and loved ones so that dangerous food poisoning does not become the result of using a stale product.

We will not describe the complex methods of how to check the degree of lying eggs, which are associated with the use of ultraviolet radiation or temperature measurements. Let's dwell on the simplest and most affordable ways.

water way

How to check the freshness of eggs with ordinary water? To do this, place them in a container with liquid, poured about 10 cm, and observe. Normal product will quickly go under the water and stay at the bottom. One that has been stored for a week or more will float to the surface with a blunt end. In a situation where it drifts easily on the surface, you can be sure that it is at least 2 weeks old.

When the egg is on the surface, like a fishing rod float, it is advised to get rid of it. He must have been at least a month old. In addition to plain water, it is permissible to use a saline solution. To prepare it at home, it is enough to dissolve a tablespoon of salt in 500 ml of water. There is no need to strictly observe the proportions, since it has been practically proven that old eggs will be on the surface in minimum terms, even if immersed in a liquid without salt.

It is easy to explain - under the shell there is a shell of two layers, capable of transmitting light, liquid and air. In the blunt part of the testicle there is a fugue - an empty air particle. It is necessary for the embryo during development - through it the process of gas exchange occurs. The size of the fugue increases in proportion to the shelf life of the product.

Bacteria that provoke decay also pass through this shell. After the hen lays the egg, it ceases to be sterile. The smell of a rotten product is also specific - it is the aroma of hydrogen sulfide. Eggs float to the surface, because the gases that accumulate in spoiled specimens have a lower density.

shaking

In order to determine the freshness of the eggs in the following way, each of them is advised to first squeeze so that you can then feel any vibrational movements inside. Then it is gently shaken so as not to damage the shell. An unspoiled egg will not give any unusual sensations, you will not feel vibrations inside, because it is complete.

If, when squeezed tightly in your hand and shaken, something inside the egg dangles and rolls, you can be sure that such a product is unsuitable for eating. He is also popularly called a "talker", because it creates the feeling that something is hanging inside him. Shaking has one significant drawback - it does not make it possible to find out the shelf life of the egg and the specific degree of its suitability for consumption. It only allows you to select those specimens that are better to refuse to use for food.

translucence

You can check the suitability of an egg by shining it with a source with a power of about 100 watts. The transillumination method allows you to see the pugu located at the blunt end. If it is not there, the product is unspoiled. The puge does not tend to appear immediately; time must pass during which moisture evaporates, and the contents under the shell thicken. In a dietary type of product, the scare should not be more than 4 mm, and in a regular dining room - 8 - 9 mm.

A dietary specimen should have a uniform and dense yolk in consistency. When the product is translucent, the yolk should be visible in the center of each instance. In a table product, the yolk may be located somewhat to the side. But if it is close to the surface of the shell, it is better not to use such an egg for eating. When examining the product, you can sometimes see bloody inclusions.

If they are very small, then they are considered quite normal. If the drops of blood form a ring, set aside such a product, it is unusable. If blood got inside during the formation of the product, then the protein will have a pinkish tint, and the yolk will be orange-red. If dark spots are clearly visible when translucent, then pathogenic microbes began to actively multiply under the shell.

Video “Checking the freshness of eggs”

This video shows a simple way to check chicken eggs for freshness at home.