Eggs are a valuable food product that 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.
- Dietary - the freshest, the shelf life of which at low temperatures does not exceed 7 days.
- 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.
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 the inspection with the appearance of the 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 danger of infection is eating 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.
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.
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 trace elements.
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 a dietary product, the puga 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, in some, a spoiled chicken egg will cause mild indigestion, while in others it will 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.
Every hostess at least once in her life found herself in a situation where one spoiled egg spoiled the whole dinner. This unpleasant phenomenon is due to the fact that it is difficult to determine at a glance whether a product is fresh or not. It will be useful to learn how to determine the freshness of eggs quickly and accurately.
The most famous method is associated with determining the way eggs are spoiled in water.
For this you will need:
The most popular way to test an egg is to dip it in water.
- bowl or glass, at least 10 cm high;
- water;
- table salt;
- eggs.
To determine the freshness of an egg in a glass, it must first be filled with water. Then drop the egg.
You can see several options:
- The egg is at the bottom. This is a completely fresh, dietary product. It is good for children to use.
- The egg stood at the bottom with a blunt edge up. This egg is over 7 days old. You can still eat it, but it is already called a canteen. These foods are great for baking and salads.
- The egg breaks off from the bottom and floats in the water column. Such an egg is more than 7 days old - most likely 2-3 weeks. It is not spoiled yet, it can be consumed boiled.
- The egg floats on the surface - it is absolutely impossible to eat, it has gone bad.
If in doubt, you can repeat the experiment in water with salt. Such a solution will be more “heavy” relative to the egg and will tell you as reliably as possible whether the product can be eaten. The determination criteria are the same as for plain water.
Important! Do not use too small dishes - water must cover the egg completely.
On the left in the photo is a rotten egg, on the right is the freshest, in the middle is a 2-3 week old. Method two - shaking
Inside each egg there is a yolk, protein, membranes and air. If the product has deteriorated, then the contents become dense, and the amount of air increases. These processes make it possible to test the freshness of an egg by shaking it.
To do this, the egg is firmly taken in hand. Now you should bring it close to your ear and shake it. If you hear a frank gurgling - the egg is not fresh. Dense structures mix with air and create characteristic splashes.
This is one of the unreliable methods, but it can be used, for example, in a store when buying eggs. You should carefully look at the shell.
Suspicion must be raised:
- cracks, even the smallest;
- pronounced irregularities;
- high gloss surface.
A good egg shell is clean, matte, strong and without cracks. The appearance of a fresh egg is pleasantly rough, matte. Over time, the shell becomes smooth, an unhealthy shine appears. It is better not to purchase such a product - there is a high probability of stale eggs.
At home, an already purchased egg can be examined for freshness by carefully examining the contents. A suspicious product is broken onto a flat, clean plate.
Now let's take a closer look:
- The yolk of a fresh egg is almost round, convex. It is uniformly yellow or orange in color. In a spoiled product, the yolk is flat, may be of a non-uniform color, interspersed.
- The white of a fresh egg is almost transparent, dense, gathered around the yolk. If the protein is liquid, almost watery, this is not the freshest product.
Special attention is paid to the smell of eggs. A spoiled product smells characteristically of hydrogen sulfide - a pungent, unpleasant odor. If there are doubts about freshness, it is better to simply not eat a suspicious egg.
In a fresh egg, the yolk is bright and uniform, the protein is dense and transparent. Understanding the expiration date of eggs
Eggs are a product of animal husbandry. It is impossible to add preservatives to them, so they are stored for a very short time. Depending on conditions, storage times may vary. Many people keep their eggs outside the refrigerator - in a cupboard or pantry. Then the egg can remain edible for no longer than 21 days.
This is possible only if the following conditions are met:
- the egg must not be washed;
- it should not be exposed to direct sunlight;
- There are no heaters nearby.
A boiled egg can be stored in a cupboard or on a table for up to 12 hours. It spoils much faster than fresh.
How long to keep eggs in the refrigerator
The temperature inside the refrigerator ranges from 2 to 4 degrees. Eggs can be stored here much longer. In special containers it is possible to keep the product up to 90 days. They do not need a very cold atmosphere, so it is quite possible to keep eggs on the refrigerator door.
In the refrigerator, eggs are stored in the door. A boiled egg can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week. Just as in the case of storing the product outside the cold, the eggs should not be washed. Processing them before putting them in the refrigerator washes off the thin film, opens the pores and promotes rapid spoilage.
Why is a spoiled egg dangerous?
When boiling eggs, a situation may happen that the hostess did not notice the floating egg. Then the finished product can be recognized by the characteristic strong smell from the egg. In addition, not the freshest egg will be well cleaned - so all the bonds between the shells have already been destroyed, the shell easily moves away from the insides.
Such a spoiled egg should never be eaten. A large number of bacteria have multiplied inside it, which will certainly cause intestinal upset. During long-term storage, toxic substances accumulate in the egg, which, being absorbed into the blood, will cause severe poisoning. Do not experiment on your own body.
Watch a visual video on how to determine the freshness of an egg using water and other methods.
Checking the freshness of eggs at home is easy. To do this, it is enough to pour about ten centimeters into the container of cold water. Dip the eggs in the bowl for a minute.
Bad, spoiled, rotten eggs will immediately float in water. This is due to a violation of the density inside the shells of raw eggs.
This can also occur if storage conditions are violated: non-compliance with the temperature regime, the assumption of a sharp temperature drop.
Eggs that have floated to the surface, but only the very tip is visible from the water, may still be quite suitable for food, but they must be used before all others.
They tend to accumulate air between the shell and the outer shell of the protein. This is a necessary condition for gas exchange.
The layer, like a gateway, saturates the egg with the necessary oxygen for further development, and releases accumulated gases through the shell, including methane. That is why they go out and deplete such a smell.
Fresh ones stay at the bottom. The amount of oxygen in them is minimal, they were demolished quite recently.
note! A fresh egg always stays at the bottom. The spoiled floats to the surface.
It is almost impossible to check the freshness of raw eggs in the store. It is important to monitor the integrity of the shell.
Bacteria can enter through the cracks and spoil the egg.. After that, it will become unfit for consumption.
How to check a boiled egg for freshness
If the egg is already cooked, then you can check it by cleaning it:
- Good, young hard to clean. The shell is very tight to the shell, and when peeling, part of the cooked protein leaves together.
- If it is not the freshest, it will be very easy to clean.. She literally moves away from the protein along with the shell.
- If the egg is already rotten, then a sharp unpleasant odor will immediately arise when cleaning., which is impossible to confuse.
Important! A fresh boiled egg is difficult to peel. And what has been stored for some time is easy to clean. An egg that has gone bad after cleaning has a sharp unpleasant odor.
Buyers in stores try to take chicken eggs of the first category or selected ones, because they are larger. From the point of view of their usefulness, this is not entirely true.
After all, the largest ones carry old chickens, which are already becoming obsolete. Young growth lays eggs more and more often, but they are noticeably smaller.
Eggs of young chickens are more useful: they have more calcium, magnesium, protein and other useful trace elements.
While large eggs of old laying hens contain more cholesterol, which is the main cause of heart and vascular diseases, and also leads to obesity.
Eggs of small sizes of the second and third categories are much cheaper.
When choosing eggs in a store, pay attention to:
- The surface of the shell should be smooth and without cracks.
- Choose the eggs of young chickens - they are more useful.
- When you get home, use a glass of water to check for freshness.
How to check the freshness of quail and other eggs?
Goose, duck, quail, chicken eggs have a limited shelf life, which largely depends on the temperature regime.
You can also check the freshness of quail eggs with water.. And also, considering the surface of the shell - it should be even, smooth, without flaws and cracks.
The freshness of eggs depends entirely on the storage periods that must be observed. If they have been stored in stores for too long, they are sold at a low price.
They may not be rotten or spoiled, but they already definitely have a completely different structure.
The processes that take place in the egg do not stop, but only slow down when they are placed in the cold.
| Variety | Storage temperature | Shelf life |
| Chicken raw | Room temperature | In a refrigerator |
| Up to 14 days | 30 days | |
| chicken boiled | Room temperature | In a refrigerator |
| Day | Up to 5 days | |
| ostrich | Room temperature | In a refrigerator |
| 5 days | 17 days | |
| Goose | Room temperature | In a refrigerator |
| 10 days | 15 days | |
| Quail | Room temperature | In a refrigerator |
| Up to three weeks | Up to 60 days | |
| duck | Room temperature | In a refrigerator |
| 7 nights | Two to three weeks | |
| turkey | Room temperature | In a refrigerator |
| 5 days | Up to two weeks |
Waterfowl eggs are rarely used as food. More often they are left for the reproduction of numbers.
The shelf life is determined by the storage conditions of the product. The cooler and more saturated with moisture the environment, the longer the eggs remain fresh.
Be sure to cover the top with a damp cloth or tightly close the lid. Opened eggs dry out quickly. The yolk in this form can be stored in the refrigerator for one to two days. Protein - up to four to five days.
Checking egg quality with an ovoscope
An ovoscope is a device that has been used since ancient times, and is still used today to check the quality of eggs. This simple device is a flashlight with a directional beam of light.
You can check the eggs with an ovoscope at home. It is easy to make at home:
- To do this, you need a regular flashlight or lamp.
- Place the flashlight in a light-tight box so that the light comes from above.
- At the top of the box, you need to make a hole that will be smaller than the size of the egg.
- Put the egg itself on this hole and carefully examine it.
A good quality young egg has a smooth surface and an even color without spots or flaws.. Inside the egg, which has been violated storage conditions, sometimes you can even see how a chicken is born.
This is noticeable by bloody clots inside the shell and specific outlines. A rotten egg, when translucent with an ovoscope, will have an unpleasant cloudy tint.
Important! To keep eggs fresh longer, they do not need to be washed before storage, so as not to break the protective layer of the shell.
Useful video
Every week you bring home huge packages with a variety of products presented on the shelves of markets and supermarkets. On the one hand, this makes your life much easier, and on the other hand, it complicates it, because not everyone can constantly keep in mind the expiration date of all this gastronomic variety. Remember how often you opened the refrigerator door and wondered: “How long have these products been there?” We are sure that this problem is familiar to many people firsthand. This is especially true for eggs. Despite the fact that this is a very delicate product, its appearance does not change over time, and therefore it is almost impossible to determine the freshness of an egg “by eye”. Of course, it's no secret to anyone that you can break an egg and try to determine its freshness by smell, but there are other ways. Here are some ways to check the freshness of eggs:
1. Submerge the eggs in water
Place the eggs in a deep bowl of cold water. If they remain lying on the bottom in a horizontal position, then they are very fresh. Eggs, slightly raised with an obtuse angle upwards, are no longer the first freshness, but can still be used in the preparation of hot dishes. Eggs that float to the surface are spoiled and should not be eaten! We recommend that you get rid of them as soon as possible.
Eggs float to the surface because, over time, the moisture inside evaporates through the shell and the resulting "free" space is replaced by air. The more air inside the egg, the higher it floats. And, of course, the older it is.
2. Check the white and yolk
Break one of the eggs and pay attention to the condition of the yolk and protein. If the yolk is convex, and the protein is viscous and tightly gathered around the yolk, the egg is very fresh. However, if the yolk is flat and the protein is liquid, this is a sign of a stale egg.
Cause: over time, protein chains (different substances associated with each other) break down, in connection with this, in an old egg, the yolk and protein do not adhere tightly together.
3. Shake the egg
If, when shaking, you do not hear extraneous sounds, then you can safely eat the egg - it is fresh. If at the same time bursts or squelching are heard, it means that air has got inside the egg and expanded the natural air bubble. This egg is not to be eaten.
4. Pay attention to the expiration date
On the packaging of eggs there is always information about the expiration date, which should be paid close attention. The supplier guarantees that the product will remain fresh if the storage rules are followed. As a rule, eggs can be eaten for some time after the expiration date, but before that it is strongly recommended to check their freshness by the methods described above.
When eating eggs, special attention must be paid to hygiene. Pay attention to the following recommendations:
- Buy only fresh eggs and use them before the expiration date.
- Store eggs in the refrigerator - at temperatures below 6 ° C, Salmonella bacteria do not multiply. At room temperature, their number increases. Please note that subsequent cooling will not save the situation.
- When cooking with raw eggs, use only very fresh eggs.
- Boil the eggs for at least 5 minutes in boiling water.
- If the eggs have expired, then for some time they can still be eaten, but only if carefully cooked. Salmonella bacteria are killed at 70°C.
- If the shell of the egg is damaged, then it must be cooked immediately. It is no longer possible to store such a product.
Where is the best place to store eggs in a Liebherr refrigerator?
Eggs can be stored in the refrigerator for a maximum of 15 days. In the zone of freshness
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 lie for a long time at 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 ° 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.
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. Housewives love to use it as the main component of various 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 the shortest possible time, even if they are 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 an easy way to test chicken eggs for freshness at home.
When buying chicken, you need to be able to choose it correctly, because not only how tasty the dish will turn out (for example, chicken cooked in air grill), but also the health of you and your loved ones depends on the quality of the product. Agree, it is not very pleasant to be poisoned by stale meat.
How to determine the freshness of a chicken
Therefore, every hostess, first of all, should know How to determine the freshness of a chicken. This will be discussed in this article.
Signs of stale chicken
1. Smell. This is the most important and basic criterion for determining freshness. Always trust your sense of smell and it won't let you down. Smell the chicken and determine if you smell sweet-sweet, sour, or putrid. If the chicken is already expired and has begun to deteriorate, it will smell of dampness and mold, but if it frankly smells of rot, then it’s really bad - such a chicken only has a place in a trash can.
2. Color. The chicken that has already begun to deteriorate becomes grayish or grayish-green in color. Small purple spots can often be found near the bird's anus. Remember that in fresh, high-quality chicken, the meat always has a delicate light pink color, and the skin may be slightly moist, with a yellowish tint. You can easily figure out what to eat chicken with if it is initially fresh and healthy.
3. Skin surface. Fresh chicken should be smooth and firm to the touch. If you want to check the freshness of the meat, then press it lightly so that a small indentation forms. If the meat quickly returned to its original state, and the dent disappeared, then you have fresh chicken in front of you. Chicken that has expired or is nearing its expiration date has loose meat, and the dent you made will remain on the surface, and such chicken is unpleasant, sticky and slimy to the touch.
How to choose a quality product
The chicken should be not only fresh, but also of high quality, not treated with third-party chemicals and not old. Try not to buy frozen chicken, as more often than not, manufacturers or sellers give it a "water injection", that is, they simply pump water into it from a syringe. As a result, the weight of the chicken increases by up to 40%. When defrosting such a product, you will find that the actual weight of the meat is much less, moreover, such a chicken is practically devoid of nutrients.
When buying a whole carcass, pay attention to the bird's beak - it should be dry, elastic and slightly glossy. The mouth should be slightly shiny, pink and have no unpleasant odor.
You can find out whether young or old chicken is sold to you by paws. In a young bird, they are soft, whitish in color with veins and small scales. The paws of an old chicken are distinguished by roughness, a yellow tint and large scales. Also, age can be determined by the brisket. In a young individual, the tip of the sternum is cartilaginous and easily bendable, as it has not yet ossified.
Avoid purchasing chicken that has a strong chlorine smell, as it is likely past its expiration date. The fact is that manufacturers often treat chicken carcasses with chlorine (by law, the allowable amount of chlorine should be no more than 0.004%) to increase the shelf life. If the carcass has a strong smell of this chemical, then the manufacturers have added more chlorine than usual in order to keep the shelf life as long as possible. As you understand, such a chicken cannot be eaten.
When going shopping and intending to buy poultry meat, always remember how to determine the freshness of the chicken in order to buy a really good product. Feel free to inspect and feel the chicken in the store, because your health depends on how good the product is.
Eggs are the basis for preparing various dishes, which every hostess knows about. In addition, they provide the body with many nutrients. But to get such an effect, you need to use only fresh products. Otherwise, you can cause serious harm to health. To protect yourself from negative consequences, you need to figure out how to check the freshness of eggs before buying and at home.
What are the dangers of stale and rotten eggs
The danger of such products lies in the likelihood of salmonella infection, which provokes food poisoning and the development of salmonellosis. This disease is quite dangerous and in the absence of timely treatment can lead to death. But this only applies to chicken eggs. Quails lay at a temperature of 40 ̊С, and in these conditions the bacteria that cause salmonellosis do not survive.
But the following danger is typical for both types of eggs, since, regardless of origin, they are a source of allergens. But if at the dietary stage (up to 7 days after demolition) the likelihood of an undesirable reaction of the body is minimal, then as the shelf life increases, it increases.
Important! Stale eggs often provoke allergic reactions.
How long does the product stay fresh?
For better storage of eggs, certain conditions should be provided.
Only fresh products can be useful for our body. To protect yourself from possible negative consequences, you should understand the optimal shelf life of eggs.
Table: terms and conditions for storing eggs at home
Checking freshness in the store
In a store or market, you can check the external data and sound
You can determine the degree of freshness of eggs in a store or market by visual signs, smell and sound. Start by inspecting the shell: in a fresh product, it has a rough and matte surface. This applies to both chicken and quail eggs. Spoiled ones will have a noticeable shine.
Important! The presence of cracks or other damage on the surface is unacceptable.
Next, take the egg in your hand and shake it. You should not hear any sounds while doing this. If the egg gurgles, you should refrain from acquiring it. The shell of a fresh product has an odor reminiscent of lime. If it is missing, it is likely that the eggs have been stored for quite a long time. Their shell intensively absorbs the odors of the surrounding products.
Important! If the smell of hydrogen sulfide emanates from the product, this indicates the process of protein decay, that is, the egg is already rotten.
If there is an electronic scale in the store, the suitability of the product for consumption can be determined by weight. The mass of fresh chicken eggs ranges from 35 to 75 g, depending on the category, quail eggs - 12 g. Lower weight indicators indicate their depravity.
Eggs that are too light in weight are spoiled
You can also check using a special device - an ovoscope, which is designed to translucent eggs. The location of the yolk in the center indicates the freshness of the product. If there are dark areas near the protein, this indicates that the egg has been lying for a week or two, but at the same time it is suitable for consumption. Spoiled products do not shine through at all.
Using an ovoscope will give the most accurate result.
Home methods for determining suitability
There are several ways to ensure the freshness of products at home. They are suitable for both quail and chicken eggs.
into the light
- Hold the egg up to a 100 watt or more lamp and examine it. If you notice an air gap between the shell and the film located under it, then the product is not quite fresh. The allowable size of the pug (this is the name of this formation) is 9 mm and 4 mm (for chicken and quail eggs, respectively). If the layer is more than these indicators, they should not be used.
- Note also the presence of drops of blood. Point and mobile formations are harmless, they occur when the chicken oviduct is damaged. But if you see a blood ring, which is the circulatory system of a dead fetus, you cannot use the product.
- The multiplication of microorganisms leads to the formation of dark spots. They can also be detected by translucent eggs. The use of such products is permissible after heat treatment. But it is better not to risk and throw away these eggs.
- If you have an ultraviolet lamp at home, try it in action. Enlighten the product and carefully examine the color of the contents. A fresh chicken and quail egg should have a rich red hue, while a spoiled one should have a lavender or gray tint.
We use water
A spoiled egg will rise up
To check with the following method, you will need a glass, which must be filled with water to a level of at least 10 cm. A deep bowl is also suitable. Dip the egg into the container and watch its position. If it sinks to the bottom, then the product is fresh, and if it floats, it is unusable.
Important! A fresh quail egg will sink to the bottom, while lying sideways.
A chicken egg with an expiration date will sink to the bottom with one end, and the other will be located on top. It must be consumed in the near future and only in boiled form or used for baking.
Important! Some housewives add salt to the water, being of the opinion that such a solution will provide a more accurate result. But this method is not very efficient.
Video: water test master class
Visual inspection of content
Crack the egg onto a flat plate. Without fear, you can use a product with a convex round yolk and protein that retains its shape. A spoiled egg begins to spread.
If the yolk has acquired a bright orange color, blood has got into it at the formation stage. Do not refuse such eggs: after heat treatment, they become safe. They are used to make pancakes, pancakes, cutlets.
Important! In a spoiled egg, the protein becomes liquid, and the yolk becomes flat.
On the left is a fresh egg (thick protein and convex yolk), and on the right is a stale one (because it has no shape and spreads)
Alternative ways
Pay attention to the labeling. If the eggs contain the date of its application, they are classified as dietary, that is, they were laid no more than 7 days ago. The absence of this information indicates that the product belongs to the table type. These are eggs that are already stored for 7-25 days.
Important! Another way is to check by determining the temperature of the egg using the tongue. The product is applied alternately with a sharp and blunt end. The spoilage of the egg is indicated by the same temperature at both ends. In a fresh product, the sharp edge is colder than the dull one. But this method cannot be called reliably effective.
What to do if already welded
Fresh eggs after cooking smell good and are difficult to peel.
Determining how fresh a boiled egg is is also quite simple:
- It needs to be cleaned first . The shell is removed from a fresh egg with difficulty, it is easily separated from a stale product.
- Then cut it. The presence of dark blue or green spots on the yolk is a sign that the egg is stale.
- Also here you can apply the method that is used for raw eggs and smell them. If there is a smell of hydrogen sulfide, the use of such a product in food must be discarded.
Video: how to avoid buying a spoiled quail egg
Compliance with simple recommendations will help to avoid using a stale product. To eliminate the possibility of harmful bacteria in food, be sure to wash the egg before using it. This advice is especially relevant if there are remains of blood, feathers or droppings on the surface of the shell. And in the process of preparing the dish, first break the product into a plate and make sure that there are no impurities and unwanted odors.
