How to determine the freshness of eggs using water. How to determine the freshness of an egg. Checking eggs for freshness at home

Greetings, dear friends! In this article, we will talk with you about how to check the freshness of eggs in water, as well as talk about alternative ways to check. Eggs are an indispensable product for weight loss. They are convenient and easy to prepare, a poached egg, hard boiled or soft-boiled will be an excellent breakfast.

But in order for the product to be useful, it is important to buy only fresh. Finding out the quality and checking the suitability of eggs at home is not difficult. The quality test will take no more than 5 minutes. Water method The freshness of the product is determined by the date of its manufacture. The product of a week ago is recognized as the most useful and dietary. The maximum period of consumption of the ingredient in food from the moment of birth is a month. You can make sure that a raw egg is fresh by dipping it in water with salt.

The test results may be as follows:

the ingredient from the chicken drowned - the product is fresh; it fell to the bottom, but the blunt end is slightly raised - the product is 1 week old; the vertical position of the egg indicates that it is already 2-3 weeks old; A "gift" from a laying hen floats in the water - it is unsuitable for cooking and eating.

This method is recognized as reliable, because it is based on elementary chemical reactions and physical processes. Fresh eggs have a very dense shell, and there is practically no air inside, so they are heavier. During storage, air gradually penetrates into the cavity, the membrane moves away from the shell, creating an air bag. The more air, the longer the shelf life, and the closer it is to the surface of the water. To better understand the principle of selection, study the pictures.

Define freshness quail eggs can be done in a similar way with water. Another option is to check with broken eggs. Having split the shell, it is necessary to carefully study the condition of the yolk and protein, smell, texture, shade. A spoiled product will have an incomparable aroma, it will be impossible to confuse in this situation. Even at home, you can check the freshness of an already boiled egg. Only the demolished ingredients from the chicken will be difficult to clean. 1-2 weeks - easy to clean, the shell itself peels off. Old eggs will have an unpleasant odor, a greenish tint, and liquid inside. Other verification options All the presented methods are applicable after the purchase of the goods. But you can protect yourself from wasting money on stale products even in the store. To do this, carefully study the markings on the stamps. Products of this type are divided into three grades. The first is selected ingredients 1-2 weeks old. The third grade means that the product expires.

On the stamp you can see the letter "D" - dietary or "C" - table, which means that the products are of the highest quality. Also consider the numbers on the mark, this is the date the product was taken from the chicken.

You can't check homemade chicken eggs like that. For this, another method is used. You need to put an egg to your ear and shake it. There should be no squelching or jolts inside. Impacts of the contents on the shell indicate that it is better not to buy products.

Another interesting method of verification is transillumination on an ovoscope. You can buy such a device on the Internet or make it yourself. To do this, you need to take a box, the diameter of which is smaller than the egg, put it in the hole, and shine a flashlight from below. The shell will shine through. The yolk should be in the center. All liquid should be light, like amber. The presence of spots and traces of the embryo is unacceptable.

See also video.

The benefits of eggs cannot be overestimated. They are rich in protein, amino acids, minerals, vitamins B, A and E. However, this product is useful if it is fresh. As soon as the expiration date expires, its use becomes dangerous. We will learn how to determine the freshness of eggs using simple methods.


Shelf life

First, consider what is the most optimal storage period for eggs. It is recommended to keep the product at a temperature not lower than +4 °С and not higher than +24 °С, preferably in a refrigerator. Eggs do not need to be washed or processed in any way before being stored. In this case, they remain suitable for about 3-4 weeks. If you washed the eggs beforehand, it is recommended to cook them within 4 days.

If you break the shell on the way home, store the egg white and yolk separately for no more than 4 days. It is best to use beaten eggs within 1-2 days. After preparation, the product remains suitable for about 1 week.

Popular verification methods

The fastest method to determine the freshness of eggs is visual and tactile assessment. The shell should be hard and smooth. Its surface is matte and dry, with a pleasant uniform shade. As soon as the product begins to spoil, the shell becomes dull and soft to the touch. Its color is dark and uneven. The surface acquires a specific sheen.

You can also bring the egg to a bright light source. If the product is spoiled, a characteristic darkening is observed in its center. If the egg at the same time emits a pronounced rotten smell, throw it away without hesitation.

A fresh chicken or quail egg has more weight than a spoiled one.

Another method is suitable if you need eggs to cook a dish. Break the shell and pour the contents onto a saucer. The following signs speak of the freshness of the product: a dense protein practically does not spread over the surface, and a round yolk rises significantly. There is no strong odor. If the shelf life is running out, the protein is quite liquid and spreads quickly, filling the entire bottom of the saucer. The yolk does not hold a round shape.

You can determine the freshness of eggs using a container of water. If the product sinks and lies at the bottom, then it is fresh. The egg, which is stored for 2 weeks, falls with the sharp end down, and the blunt end up. Although it is not the first freshness, it can still be consumed. If the egg floats on the surface of the water, then it is spoiled. It's best to throw it away. This is due to the fact that over time, air accumulates under the shell, which pushes the egg to the surface of the water. This method is effective if the shell is intact.

If you don't have time to experiment, just shake the egg. Grab it with your index and thumb. If, when shaking, you feel the movement of the yolk inside, the product is no longer fresh. To verify this, conduct a visual assessment of the albumen and yolk on a saucer.

The freshness of quail eggs also needs to be checked. There is a very simple way to do this. Weigh them on an electronic scale. A fresh egg weighs about 20 g, a rotten one - 5 g. This difference is due to a chemical process, as a result of which air accumulates under the shell instead of a liquid mass. These changes occur inside the egg after a certain period of time. Of course, these are approximate figures. They may differ slightly. The lower the weight of the egg, the longer it will keep in the refrigerator.

The danger of spoiled eggs

Often, housewives immediately break eggs into a dish during cooking, forgetting to check their freshness first. And only after that they notice a pronounced greenish color and a specific rotten smell. As a result, you have to throw away a lot of products at once. Of course, it is unpleasant when efforts and money are spent in vain. But on the other side of the scales there is a huge danger of harming health, one's own and relatives, when using a spoiled product.

Many people think that if eggs are in the refrigerator for only a few days, they are necessarily fresh. However, remember that you can bring already spoiled product from the market or store. To prevent this, pay attention to the expiration date indicated on the package. Also, always check the freshness of eggs using one of the methods listed above.

Eggs are a product that can be found in any refrigerator. Have you ever boiled eggs and noticed that they are spoiled? Or perhaps the packaging does not indicate the date by which the product must be consumed, is it possible to eat them at all or is it better to send them to the urn? Determining a spoiled egg is not difficult. In this article, we will tell you how to determine that an egg has gone bad, and how to determine that it can be consumed. If eggs have been in your refrigerator for a very long time, you just need to determine if they are fresh in order to eliminate deplorable situations.

How to test a rotten egg

What does expiration date mean? This is the period of time when the products are the freshest, tastiest, recommended for cooking. culinary specialties. It does not mean at all that after this period has passed, the eggs have deteriorated, they are simply inferior in taste to those that are fresher.


The manufacturer's code (letter and number) is indicated on the product.

In many countries, it is customary to indicate the packing time on the eggs themselves. Because they can be sold without packaging by the piece. The manufacturer is obliged to inform about the period of consumption.


In order to avoid a temperature difference, the eggs should be in the coldest part of the refrigerator. The refrigerator door is categorically not suitable for this, because it is here that the temperature regime can fluctuate.

Do not put unwashed eggs that have lain on the table in the refrigerator. In many countries, it is customary for eggs to be kept in kitchen cabinets and not put in a refrigerator. Given that the chickens are given all the necessary vaccinations, nothing will happen to the eggs in the cabinets.


If you do not know if the eggs in your refrigerator are fresh, or there are such suspicions that they have been lying for more than 1.5 months, you need to know the signs of rotten eggs, with which you can easily determine if these eggs can be used in cooking .

How to spot a rotten egg


When a boiled egg has a greenish tint, it has been boiled for too long or there is an excess of iron in the water. It can be eaten.

If you find blood spots in the egg, it can also be eaten, it is quite fresh. This does not affect the taste of the egg itself.

How to tell if an egg is rotten or not


Ideally, if the egg good quality, it should be in a glass on its side.

If the egg is located in a vertical position in water, it was packed a relatively long time ago, but nevertheless it is still suitable for cooking.

An egg that is not fresh enough will not sink. It can still be used in cooking. It needs to be broken into a bowl in order to determine if it is fresh, pay attention to the protein. Eliminate that it is spoiled by smell. An egg that cannot be used is with a pungent odor.


A fresh egg will not make any sounds.

When there are any sounds in the egg, this does not mean that it cannot be eaten, such an egg is quite fresh.


In an egg that is far from the first freshness, the yolk will burst very quickly.

If it floats on the protein, this is also an indicator that the egg is old and it is better not to use it in cooking.

Pay attention to the color of the protein itself. A white with a gray tint means that the egg is very fresh. A transparent protein indicates that the egg is not very fresh, but you can eat it and this will not affect your health in any way.

  • The yolk should always be round, if it is flat - such an egg should never be used.
  • Do not store eggs with the rest of the ingredients, as they will absorb odors in a very short time.
  • If the egg is cracked, it must be consumed within a short period of time.
  • Villagers increase the period of consumption of eggs by lubricating them with sunflower oil.

Be careful:

Children and the elderly are not recommended to eat eggs with an expired shelf life. It is not necessary to rely on the fact that eggs can be consumed for some time after the expiration of consumption, you must definitely know how to check eggs. Be careful not to harm yourself and your family. Always pay attention to the date of manufacture.

Eggs are valuable food product which is used in every family. They are eaten as a separate dish or used as an additional ingredient in different 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 stained with artificial colors, 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 pots. 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.

Diet eggs are marked in red, table eggs 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 through 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. Protein may have a greenish or yellowish tint 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, then death is possible. The biggest risk of infection is the consumption raw eggs, the bacterium "lives" on the inside of the shell under a protective film.

Recently, quail testicles have been 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.

Which nourishes well and satisfies the feeling of hunger due to its high calorie content. This is a real gift of nature, because one eaten egg contributes to the intake of protein, calcium, iron, vitamins A, E, B and other microelements.

Sometimes eggs are stored in the refrigerator for a long time and it is hard for the hostess to remember how long they have been there. Before using them to prepare certain dishes, you need to check the suitability of each of them in order to protect yourself and your family from food poisoning.

Ways to determine the freshness of eggs at home

We will not consider complex experiments to determine the freshness associated with the use of ultraviolet light, temperature measurement, etc. After all, you can check the suitability of the product at home using simple methods.

How to find out if an egg is rotten or not on the water

This is the most popular method . If the egg is fresh, it will immediately sink in water and will continue to lie at the bottom. If it rises with the blunt end up, while the sharp end lies in the water, then most likely the egg is already a week old. If the testicle floats freely in water, then it is at least two weeks old. And if it pops up like a fishing float, then it is better to throw it away, since its freshness is more difficult to establish, but one thing is for sure - it is more than a month old.

Salt solution can be used instead of plain water. To prepare it, one incomplete tablespoon is dissolved in 500 ml of water, although the concentration is no longer so important here, since the “old” product will float even in pure water.

This is due to the fact that under the shell there is a shell consisting of two layers, which freely passes air, light and moisture unilaterally. The shell in the blunt part of the testis is divided, forming an empty airy part (pugu). It is of great importance for the embryo, because through it the exchange of gases between the body and the external environment is carried out. The more the product "lives", the larger the size of the pug.

At the same time, the shell passes through itself not only the natural gas mixture. Bacteria, including those that cause decay processes, freely penetrate through it. Before a hen lays an egg, it is considered sterile. But as soon as it is “born”, its contents become vulnerable to microorganisms. When putrefactive bacteria get inside, gases and an unpleasant “aroma” begin to be released. The specific smell of a rotten product is the smell of hydrogen sulfide, a gas that accumulates due to protein rotting. The gases that accumulate in a spoiled product have a lower density, so such an egg will certainly float in water.

Checking for freshness with light

Contents can be viewed through a light source with a power of at least 100 watts. The freshness of the product is determined by detecting puga, as mentioned above, puga is the air layer between the thin egg film and the shell. It is located at the blunt end of the product. If the product is fresh, then there is no scare, it appears after a while as a result of evaporation of moisture and compaction of the contents under the shell.

IN dietary product the scare should not exceed 4 mm, in the dining room - 8-9 mm. A dietary protein product should have a uniform and dense yolk. When the testicle is translucent, the yolk should be placed in the center. In a table egg, a slight shift is possible, but if the yolk is nailed to the shell, then there is only one conclusion - it is no longer fresh. Visibility of an embryo in any category is excluded.

Sometimes, when viewing a product in the light, you can see slight blood inclusions, they are acceptable even in fresh products, but under one condition, they must be small and punctate. If the droplets of blood look like a ring, then such a product should be thrown away, since even heat treatment will not make such a testicle suitable for consumption.

If the protein has a pinkish color, and the yolk is orange-red, then this indicates that the blood got in during its formation. The presence of dark spots indicates that microbes have begun to multiply under the shell.

External signs of a spoiled egg

  • Look closely at the surface of the shell. In fresh products, it will be dull or slightly rough. Old eggs have a smooth and shiny shell with a bluish tint.
  • The next step is to take the product in your hand and squeeze it a little so that you can feel slight vibrations inside, then shake it. Fresh product is always full inside, therefore, shaking will not let you feel any changes.
  • If, when shaking, you feel as if something is flopping and pouring inside the egg, then you are holding a "talker" in your hand, which is unsuitable for use. However, this method does not give a 100% guarantee of egg freshness, it only allows you to weed out the "talkers".

How to determine the yolk and protein

If you bought eggs in the store, but when you came home you suspected their unsuitability, then break one on a plate. A fresh egg should have a fluffy and voluminous protein, more like jelly, with a less dense layer located on top. If the layers of protein are almost indistinguishable, and the yolk is flat, then this egg can no longer “boast” of its freshness, but it is suitable for eating.

What happens if you eat a spoiled chicken egg

The use of products of dubious quality is always fraught with unpredictable and ill-advised consequences. It all depends on the organism, its persistence and the degree of spoilage of the product. For example, some have spoiled egg will cause mild indigestion, and in others provoke a severe form of poisoning. Whether doctors will save a person who decides to eat an unsuitable product, or whether the victim of poisoning will earn a lifelong gastrointestinal disorder, there is no exact answer here.

Video: how to check the freshness of eggs at home

Eggs are used to prepare many dishes and snacks. But unfortunately, like any other products, they deteriorate over time. The freshness of a chicken product can be tested using several methods. Some we have already discussed with you in this article. And to consolidate the material, we suggest watching a short video on how not to spoil dishes with a rotten product.