To be prepared properly, and maintain health, the freshness of the egg must be confirmed. But how do you tell if an egg is good? If they can’t, let’s explore the best means of getting fresh.
Why Should I Have an Egg Test?
Naturally, eggs, too, have a sell-by date. The Egg Board of America says that the egg has only four to five weeks before it must be eaten after packaging. But eating rotten eggs can lead to serious ailments, like salmonella. Thus, the test of egg freshness will help us confirm the safety of the eggs, good or bad.
Different Methods of Egg Test
How to determine whether eggs are fresh or not? These include:
Sink and Float Test: The sink and float, or water test, is one of the surest ways to see whether the egg is fresh. Then we throw the egg into a bowl of egg test water.
If the egg does not sink, it is not fresh because fresh eggs are heavy and sink. Yet, the bad eggs and rotten eggs only float about on the surface of the water. The reasoning behind this experiment is that the air pocket in a just-laid egg is small, so the egg floats downward.
Egg White Test: For example, if you break open the shell before cooking, you must keep an eye on the consistency and color of the albumen. But a fresh egg will always have a thick white which will set again. Yet, a bad egg will have a runny white portion. The egg white test is one of the most popular and accurate tests of egg freshness.
Sniff Test: You can also smell the odor of an egg, and see how fresh it is. Hold the egg to your nose, give it a whiff, and look at the door. The bad egg always has a sulphuric odor.
Shake Test: The shake test is one of the most important tests of egg freshness. Hold the egg and gently shake it. Listen carefully to the sound inside the egg when shaken. Sound is minimal in a fresh egg because the egg yolk and white are very firmly packed.
Candling: This refers to holding the egg over the light of a flashlight or any other bright light source. This is useful in exploring the inside and condition of the egg. If you put it in a dark room and have a bright light shining against it, you can see if there is any spoilage. The light penetrating through the shell in front of one’s eyes shows clearly the egg yolk and egg white inside with a smooth texture.
How to Store Eggs?
- In short, eggs must be stored properly to be kept fresh for as long as possible. Various methods of storing the eggs include:
- Refrigerate: Store eggs in a refrigerator at a temperature of above 40 degrees F (4 degrees C). Low temperature also slows the aging of the egg cells.
- Retain the Original Carton: For instance, store the eggs in the original carton to avoid light and odour from other foods and keep the eggs fresh longer.
- Store in the Main Body of the Fridge: Keep eggs in the refrigerator, not in the door, but in the middle compartment. This is because there will be less variation in temperature.
- Avoid Extreme Temperature: Avoid keeping eggs in extreme temperatures. This means avoiding freezing or heating them to maintain their shelf life.
- Keeps Eggs Away from Odour: Eggs possess porous shells, and strong odors from other foods get into their interior. To prolong an egg’s shelf life, keep it aside from strong-smelling food items, such as fish and onions.
- Maintain Proper Rotation: Keep the newer eggs out of your reach, use the older ones first, and maintain a sequence. Please stick to the rotation routine and use them accordingly.
Conclusion
Like any other food item, eggs do have a shelf life. Eating eggs that have expired can cause health issues. So, consuming fresh eggs is important, and knowing the methods of how to check if eggs are good and how to keep them fresh are also very important. Remember, proper storing methods can increase the shelf life and quality of eggs.
