People who at least sometimes go into the kitchen to not only eat, but also cook something, over time notice useful little things. For example, when boiling eggs do not swim, but lie at the bottom. Therefore, vague suspicions that arise when a raw egg floats in water are not unfounded.
What is there inside?
The difficulties of determining the freshness of such a product when buying are obvious. Especially in supermarkets, where eggs are often sold in closed, opaque packaging. But everything becomes clear when we bring them home and start cooking. If at the same time you have to break them, then the following signs should alert:
- The smell of hydrogen sulfide.
- Opaque protein.
- When broken into a frying pan or in a bowl, the yolk immediately blurs.
But how to check the freshness of an egg without breaking it? Just submerge in water. If an egg floats in water, it is spoiled or stale.
Why does a spoiled egg pop up?
Contrary to popular belief, the egg is not hermetic at all. There are pores in the shell so that the chick can breathe. But in addition to oxygen, microorganisms also penetrate through them. As a result of the vital activity of some of them, putrefactive processes develop and gases are released. If an egg floats in water, it means that many gases have accumulated in it, which are lighter than water.
By the way, even if there are no harmful microorganisms inside that cause rotting and an unpleasant smell, an old egg will still float. Between the protein and shell membranes from the blunt side, air gradually accumulates. For the same reason, a stale egg is very light.
By the way, this is why it is recommended to store eggs with a blunt end up, so that the yolk does not come into contact with the air chamber. And it is better not to put them in the compartment in the refrigerator door, since its frequent opening leads to the fact that they deteriorate faster.
If the egg does not float completely
When, when immersed in water, the egg immediately goes to the bottom and takes a horizontal position, then we have a very fresh product. But over time, the chemical processes occurring inside change the consistency of the protein and yolk, making them more fluid. Therefore, if an egg floats in the water with a blunt end up, then it takes him about a week. Therefore, it is still possible to eat. If it takes a vertical position, then it is about 2-3 weeks. The egg, which is more than a month old, pops up completely, and it is impossible to eat it.
Deceptive Salt
Knowledgeable people add a little salt when cooking eggs, so that accidentally broken eggs do not leak. Therefore, it should be noted that if you first added salt to the water, then the correct definition of freshness will be in question. The fact is that salt increases the density of water. If an egg floats in water that has previously been salted, this does not necessarily mean that it is stale. But if it lies horizontally even in salt water, then there can be no fresh product.
How to determine the quality of eggs in the store
So that it does not happen that all three dozen bought eggs suddenly emerge, you should try to determine their freshness even when buying.
- View expiration date. It should be borne in mind that the product class must be indicated on the package. There are diet eggs that store no more than 8 days, and there are tablespoons (blue print) that we most often buy. Their maximum shelf life is one month. There is still a class of long-stored ones. They can be kept in the refrigerator for about six months, but these are rarely found in stores.
- Inspect the surface. The shell should be dull and slightly rough. It is smooth and shiny only with stale eggs.
- Weigh the egg in your hand. If it is old, it will be very light in weight.
- Shake the egg. When it is fresh, the yolk does not move inside. So, you will not feel that something is hanging in the shell, and you will not hear any sounds when shaking.
Well, now you and I have figured out what's what, and realized that if an egg has surfaced completely in the water, then it is stale, or even rotten. However, a boiled egg, mistakenly placed next to raw ones, may come up, but such confusion rarely occurs. Therefore, it is better not to save on health and throw away a stale product.