How to identify a spoiled egg?

Eggs are the perfect breakfast, the best start to the day. Especially if it's a great omelet cooked in butter. But during its preparation there is a risk of adding rotten eggs to the already broken eggs, and then the breakfast will be ruined. But there is a way out - check the eggs in advance for suitability. How to distinguish fresh eggs from spoiled ones? To do this, you can use one of seven simple methods.

Smell test

One of the easiest and most reliable ways to determine whether an egg has gone bad is to smell it.

A spoiled egg will give off an unpleasant odor when you open the shell. This smell will be present even if you have already cooked the egg.

In some cases, when the egg is very old or rotten, you may notice a foul odor before you break it.

If the egg smells bad, you need to get rid of it. Since this test is very reliable, it is recommended that you give each egg a good sniff before eating or using it.

Visual inspection

Sometimes you can tell by the appearance of an egg whether it is spoiled. You will need to check the egg for signs of possible contamination or spoilage.

What do bad eggs look like? You should discard eggs with any of the following characteristics:

cracks in the shell
powdery substance on the shell
shell looks or feels slimy

Eggs with cracked or slimy shells may be contaminated with bacteria, and a powdery substance on the shell may be a sign of mold.

If the shells are intact, have no obvious signs of damage or contamination, and do not smell, you should do a second visual inspection after you crack the eggs. You should discard eggs with any unusual color change inside, such as pink, iridescent, or greenish egg whites or yolks.

However, according to the USDA, hard-boiled eggs that have a green ring on the yolk after cooking are safe to eat. The green color is often the result of overcooking or high iron content in the water in which the eggs were boiled ().

An egg white or yolk that is runnier than normal may also indicate that the egg is no longer fresh. While this does not necessarily mean that the egg is unsafe to eat, it may have distorted flavor and cooking properties.

Before purchasing eggs, you need to do a quick visual inspection of the eggs in the carton. If any eggs are cracked or leaking, choose a different package.

How to identify a spoiled egg in water: “float test”

The float test is a quick and easy way to check the freshness of an egg. The float test does not determine whether an egg has gone bad, but it does provide useful information about the age of the egg.

To perform the float test, place the egg in a large bowl of water. If the egg sinks or remains on the bottom, it is still fresh. The old egg will either stand on its end or float.

The float test works because air accumulates inside the egg as it ages and this increases its buoyancy.

However, an egg that floats may be safe to eat. A person can further test the egg by cracking it to smell it and check for visible signs of contamination.

Shelf life in shell and without

You can leave boiled eggs on the table in the room, but not for long. Depending on how long the product was cooked, the storage time is determined.

So soft-boiled eggs are stored for a maximum of twenty hours at a temperature not exceeding 20C. Hard-boiled chicken eggs, without refrigeration, retain freshness, taste and nutritional value for no more than three days.

The indicated shelf life applies to boiled, unpeeled eggs. The shelled product must be consumed no later than twelve hours after the end of cooking . If the shell cracks during soft-boiling, the storage time is reduced to eight hours.

Transillumination

Candling is a method that producers use to check the quality of eggs. It involves using a bright light to inspect the eggs for signs of cracks and internal defects.

Egg producers typically use automatic conveyor belts and mechanical sensors to quickly and efficiently inspect large quantities of eggs. However, a person can also perform candling at home by holding the egg up to a bright light, such as a powerful flashlight or lamp, in a darkened room.

As with the float test, candling only tests the freshness of the egg. This method will not confirm whether the egg is safe to eat.

When you hold the egg up to the light, you should be able to see the air chamber inside it. The air chamber is a small sac or bubble that is usually present at the large end of the egg.

The egg is still fresh if the air chamber is less than 3mm deep. The larger the air sac, the older the egg ().

What happens if you eat a spoiled egg?

The main risk of eating eggs is salmonella infection, which is a form of food poisoning. Salmonella is a type of bacteria that can grow both on the shell and inside the yolk and white of eggs.

Symptoms of salmonellosis include ():

diarrhea (diarrhea)
abdominal cramps
fever
vomit

According to the CDC, symptoms usually develop 6–48 hours after eating a contaminated egg and last about 4–7 days ().

Most people recover from salmonella infections without antibiotics. However, people with severe symptoms may require hospitalization.

Salmonella infection is often more severe and dangerous in certain groups of people, including:

adults over 65 years old
children under 5 years old
people with weakened immune systems

Not everyone who eats a spoiled egg develops a salmonella infection.

Here are steps you can take to reduce your risk of salmonellosis:

washing hands and any objects that come into contact with raw eggs
storing eggs in the refrigerator
throwing away eggs after the expiration date
Cooking eggs thoroughly until the yolk and white are firm
using pasteurized eggs for dishes that call for raw or lightly cooked eggs

How long can a raw product be stored?

According to GOST (clause 30363-96 “Egg products”), you can store broken eggs, as well as whites separately, at room temperature for a maximum of four hours . At temperatures above +5°C, pathogenic salmonellosis bacteria multiply very quickly in the mixture (very dangerous to human health and life).

To preserve a broken egg, it must be placed as soon as possible in a cool place (ideally in the refrigerator), where the air temperature does not exceed the standard value (+5°C). When refrigerated, the broken egg mixture (melange) is good for use within twenty-four hours.

It is strictly forbidden (under any circumstances) to store egg mixture containing particles of chicken droppings and other debris. Ignoring this rule is fraught with health problems.

Summarize

When eggs spoil, they begin to smell bad and the yolk and egg white may change color. Cracks or a slimy egg shell can also be a sign of bacterial contamination.
How to check if an egg is spoiled? Simple ways to determine the freshness of an egg include: checking the expiration date, visually inspecting the egg shell and its contents for any unpleasant odor. If you have any doubt about whether an egg has gone bad, you should throw it away.
The main risk of eating eggs is salmonella infection, which can cause diarrhea, vomiting and fever. You can reduce your risk of salmonellosis by storing eggs in the refrigerator, discarding eggs with cracked shells, and cooking eggs thoroughly before eating.

The article was prepared by experts for informational purposes only. It should not be used as a guide for treating medical conditions and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. In case of illness or any symptoms, you should always consult a doctor and not self-medicate.

Tags: Eggs

About the author: Alexander Fedorov

Candidate of Biological Sciences, biologist, nutrition expert. Graduated from Stavropol State University with a degree in Biology at the Faculty of Biology and Chemistry.

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Use Cases

In fact, broken eggs are no different from regular eggs and can be used in the same way as whole ones. The only thing you should not do is eat them raw. The surface of the shell may be affected by salmonellosis, and particles of chicken droppings and dirt may remain on it. Since it is mixed with protein, it also becomes potentially dangerous.

In this regard, many people have a question: is it even possible to eat a cracked egg? After heat treatment - yes. You need to boil or fry it, making sure that all the protein curls.

To protect against salmonella infection, it is recommended to reheat food at 75°C for at least 10 minutes.

In cooking

You can cook anything from broken eggs. The main thing is that they undergo heat treatment during the cooking process. List of dishes:

fried eggs;
omelette (with or without filling);
egg noodle soup;
homemade vermicelli;
casserole with meat or green beans;
cottage cheese casserole;
manna;
salads - “Mimosa”, “Herring under a fur coat”, “Caesar”, “Olivier” and others;
pancakes;
muffins;
sponge cake - “Prague”, “Viennese”, “Brownie”;
donuts;
stuffed pies.

We recommend: How to quickly defrost minced meat - chicken, fish, meat?

Recipes

We offer 3 most popular recipes.

Omelette.

For an incomplete glass of egg mass (3 eggs), you need to take 80 ml of milk. Stir the mixture until smooth, add salt and spices to taste. If desired, you can add filling - sausage, cheese, pickles, sausages, tomatoes, bacon, etc. (100-150 g).

Pour the mixture into a warm frying pan greased with vegetable oil. Fry over low heat, covered, for 7 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the omelette cook (another 10 minutes).

Charlotte with apples.

Ingredients: 350 ml of egg mass (8 eggs), 2 cups of sugar, 2 g of vanillin, 2 cups of flour, 1.5 kg of sweet and sour apples.

Peel and cut the apples into slices. Place them in a mold greased with vegetable oil and sprinkled with flour. Beat the eggs with a mixer with sugar and vanilla until foam forms. Gently stir in the flour with a spatula. Pour the semi-liquid batter on top of the apples. Bake at 180 degrees for 60–80 minutes.

Pizza in a frying pan.

This is the fastest pizza. It will take approximately 20 minutes to prepare. You can make any filling - sausage, onions and tomatoes, mushrooms, bacon, chicken.

Mix 6 tbsp in a bowl. spoons of broken eggs, 4 tbsp. spoons of sour cream and 3 tbsp. spoons of mayonnaise. Enter 9 tbsp. spoons of sifted flour. Pour the dough into a greased frying pan. Squeeze about 1.5 tbsp on top. spoons of ketchup and spread gently. Place the filling. Grate 150 g of cheese on top (the more the better). Cook over low heat, covered, for 15 minutes.

One egg white is equal to 2 tbsp. spoons, and one yolk - 1 tbsp. l.

For cosmetic purposes

Broken eggs can be used to beautify your hair and body. For example:

To wash hair. To do this, separate the yolk, mix it with 50 ml of water and apply to wet hair. Massage your head and then rinse off the homemade shampoo with warm water. Your head will become clear.
Make a nourishing hair mask. To 1 egg yolk add 1 tbsp. a spoonful of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of honey and 2 tbsp. spoons of water. Stir and distribute through wet hair. Leave the mask on for 30 minutes and then rinse with warm water. The curls will become very smooth, shiny and manageable.
Make a rejuvenating face mask. Beat the egg whites until foam forms. Apply it on your face and neck for 30 minutes. Rinse off with cool water.

Do not rush to throw away the shells of broken eggs. It can also be used. For example, to strengthen nails and teeth or as fertilizer for indoor plants.