It is known that the eggs of all kinds of birds are edible. The most accessible to the buyer is chicken and quail, less often ostrich ones can be found on sale. It is better not to buy duck, goose and many other eggs - they are highly susceptible to salmonella infection, so they are not so popular.
This article has collected useful information for the consumer who is interested in choosing fresh eggs. The tips presented will help determine not only the quality of chicken eggs, but also other birds. Recommended storage conditions will keep the eggs as long as possible.
Surely everyone wondered: which is better and healthier, a white or brown egg? Everything is very simple. The color of the shell largely depends on the breed of bird. For example, a white hen will lay a white egg, and a golden hen will lay a brown one. And the amount of nutrients does not depend on color.
White chickens are considered more egg-laying, so they are used more often in poultry farms. Because of this, white eggs are associated with factory production and are considered less natural, although this is not the case. However, brown eggs are still different from white ones. Brown ones have a stronger shell than white ones, which is why they are stored a little better. If it matters, choose brown colored eggs.
Subject to all the rules in production, factory eggs must be nutritious and safe. It is clear that the manufacturer cannot be completely trusted. You should always check the quality yourself.
In an ordinary supermarket, you will not find homemade village eggs, so focus on factory ones. Each egg must be labelled, clean and free from dirt. And now let's take a closer look at the points on how to choose the right one.
To correctly determine the quality of an egg, it is recommended to pick it up. It should be clean, without roughness, and intact, not cracked. A hard matte surface will speak of freshness. If possible, hold it up to the sun or a lamp. You should not see any browning or blood clots.
A lot depends on age. The older the chicken, the bigger the egg. Therefore, a smaller egg is considered more useful, because. it was laid by a younger hen. If you have a choice, choose smaller eggs, of course, up to a reasonable limit. In addition, a small egg is stored longer than a large one.
By the way, one must take into account the fact that brown eggs visually appear larger than white ones. The advice is to study the label on which the category should be indicated. Assignment to one category or another depends only on weight. The higher the category, the smaller the egg should be.
For example, marking C-1 means that the egg is table and the first category. Canteens (letter C) have a shelf life of 25 days. For dietary (D) - up to 7 days. Categories can be as follows: B (highest - from 75 g), O (selective - 65-74.9 g), 1 cat. (55-64.9 g), 2 cat. (45-54.9 g), 3 cat. (35-44.9 g). The figures given apply only to chicken eggs, while in other species the numbers are different.
The best option is to buy eggs of the first category - medium size. They have a balanced composition and do not contain excess water, which may be present in larger eggs (high and selective categories).
In addition to inspecting the egg inside and out, to fully check the quality of the egg, you need to smell it. A high-quality egg will never have an unpleasant odor, and a rotten egg will never smell of hydrogen sulfide (protein decomposes and a stench appears).
When shaken, a good egg will not make any sound. Shake the egg well. If you hear squelching, this will mean that the protein has become watery (a void has formed inside) and the product is far from fresh.
At home, each buyer can do a simple freshness test. Place the egg in a container of water. Buoyancy will be a sign of staleness. A fresh egg will definitely sink, even if the water is salted.
The less fresh the egg, the better its buoyancy. It does not pop up right away, but after a while. If it floats on the surface, then this is a clear sign of staleness.
The less fresh the egg, the better its buoyancy. It doesn't pop up right away, but after a while. If it floats on the surface, then this is a clear sign of staleness.
To be sure of the freshness for sure, you can also take one more method into service. Take an egg, break it open and carefully consider how it will spread. It is useful to study the protein itself with the yolk. More on this below.
A broken fresh egg has a convex yolk, and if it spreads, then this is a clear sign of staleness.
Quality can be checked by white and yolk. The protein should be light, transparent and thick, without specks. The yolk is bright, with a rich color. The pallor of the yolk will indicate that the chicken was malnourished or was sick. But still, you should not rely only on these indicators, because. unscrupulous manufacturers can artificially create an attractive color of the protein and yolk.
If you come across an egg with two yolks, don't worry. Such a product does not differ in the degree of usefulness or harmfulness.
Never forget to check the date of manufacture and expiration date. It is better to look at the date not on the package, but on the egg itself. This sorting date is closest to the date the bird laid the egg. Also pay attention to the storage conditions in the place where you buy this product.
Under all conditions, eggs are guaranteed to be stored for 25 days. Also on sale you can find diet eggs, which have a shelf life of no more than 7 days and they are marked with the letter "D".
The egg storage temperature should be between 1-5 degrees Celsius. At lower temperatures, they will irrevocably deteriorate. Well, do not forget, the higher the temperature, the shorter the shelf life.
The best storage place is the refrigerator. Not the best place in the refrigerator (in terms of temperature) is the door, although it is here that manufacturers provide special cells for eggs. Theoretically, eggs can last up to 90 days in the refrigerator, but it's better not to experiment and not risk your health.
Lay the eggs point down (it “breathes” through the blunt end) or, even better, turn it over from time to time. Well, do not forget to especially carefully handle the storage space in the refrigerator when you wash it.
And one more useful tip that you may need if you need safety for a long period. Lubricate each egg with vegetable oil and wrap in foil - this will help to significantly increase the shelf life.
Wash eggs only before use, because. after washing, the natural protective layer is removed, which will affect the shelf life. In principle, vegetable oil can successfully replace this layer, unless, of course, it is a pity to spend it for this purpose.
Store the yolk for a long time will not work - a maximum of 2 days. To achieve this period, it is necessary to place it in a container with salted water.
Quail and ostrich eggs keep better than chicken.
Eggs are a very fragile food product and therefore packaging plays an important role in their storage and transportation.
Paper packaging is considered the best option. Plastic packaging is inferior to paper, although it has two serious advantages: you can see the product through plastic and bacteria do not develop in it as quickly as in paper. In addition, by buying eggs in paper packaging, you are helping nature, because. paper is an environmentally friendly material.
If eggs float in water, what does it mean? Can't they be cooked?
If the egg stopped in the fall and floated somewhere in the middle of the container, it was believed that the egg was already thinking, and it should be immediately put into use (and not in a raw form), because after a short amount of time it will become unusable.
If an egg, dipped in water, floated up and floated in it, as ... a leaf in the hole, the conclusion was unambiguous: you should not eat such an egg. Better to throw it in the trash.
Under the shell of the egg, the processes of decay and decomposition of the protein begin, as a result of which gases are released (and then the putrid smell of hydrogen sulfide appears), which, as is known since school, is lighter than water. And the more the process of decay, the more gases, which, having combined with the air already in the egg, raise the spoiled egg to the very surface of the water. So, if the egg floats at the very neck of the water container, this means that the egg is not only old, but also rotten.
Every housewife knows that the egg lies at the bottom during cooking, so if you suddenly raw eggs float in water, well-founded doubts should arise as to the quality of the product.
Unfortunately, it is difficult in the store, especially in supermarkets, where the goods are offered in closed containers. But at home, while cooking, you can and should find out this question.
The following points should arouse suspicion:
To ensure freshness, it is not necessary to break the product.
You need to lower it into a pot of water, and if eggs float in cold water or during cooking, it means that they have deteriorated.
Why is this happening?
Many mistakenly believe that the egg is airtight.
An old egg, even if it is suitable for eating, will float anyway, since air accumulates between the shell and the protein shell over time.
It is worth remembering that salt added during cooking will not allow you to reliably determine the freshness of the product, since salt makes the water denser, and a floating egg may not necessarily be spoiled.
But if it remains to lie at the bottom, then there can be no doubt about its usefulness and good taste.
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Not only chicken, but also if they are no longer suitable for food.
In order not to become a victim of a low-quality product, you can try to determine the degree of freshness even before purchasing it.
In order to avoid damage to an already purchased product, you should follow simple rules.
If you have doubts about the quality of an egg, do not risk your health and throw it away, as food poisoning can be very serious, especially for young children.
The sacred property of water, which our ancestors knew about and which we have forgotten for some reason, is that water does not accept any muck in itself - everything bad will certainly float up in the water. You can always check the quality of the eggs. To do this, pour cold clean water into a deep bowl and lower raw eggs into it. This is how chicken eggs are usually checked, and quail eggs too.
A fresh egg always sinks to the bottom in water, while a bad one will float to the top. Floated eggs should not be eaten in any form, they can only be thrown into the trash. This is how I always determine the freshness of eggs at home. This is an ancient method of our ancestors, which can be used in our time.
Why does a stale egg float in water?
A small space at the blunt end of the egg is filled with air for the embryo's gas exchange. The two-layer shell membrane in this chamber allows air and moisture to pass through. The older the egg, the more air collects over time at the blunt end of the egg. The first variant of the reason for raising the egg to the surface is banal old age. Old raw eggs always float in water.
The egg shell has micropores and allows air to enter along with microbes. As a result of this, the processes of decay and protein decomposition can occur over time. As a result, gases are released, and gases are always lighter than water. The more gases, the higher the egg floats. A floating egg may indicate not only the age of the egg, but also that it may be rotten. And this is the second reason for eggs to float in water - rottenness.
If you bought eggs in the market, in a store, supermarket and at home they all drowned in a bowl of water, then you bought good fresh eggs and you can eat them, cook various dishes, pastries with them. But the floating eggs floating near the surface should be thrown into the trash so as not to get poisoned.
People who at least sometimes go into the kitchen to not only eat, but also cook something, notice useful little things over time. For example, that eggs do not float during cooking, but lie on the bottom. Therefore, the vague suspicions that arise when a raw egg floats in water are not unfounded.
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 you:
But how do you test the freshness of an egg without breaking it? Just immerse in water. If the egg floats in the water, it is spoiled or stale.
Contrary to popular belief, an egg is not hermetic at all. The shell has pores 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 a lot of 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 odor, the old egg will still float. Air gradually accumulates between the protein and shell membranes on the blunt side. For the same reason, a stale egg is very light.
By the way, this is why it is recommended to store eggs with the 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 a compartment in the refrigerator door, as its frequent opening leads to the fact that they deteriorate faster.
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 liquid. Therefore, if the egg floats in the water with a blunt end up, then it is about a week old. So, you can still eat it. If it takes a vertical position, then it is about 2-3 weeks old. An egg that is more than a month old floats completely and cannot be eaten.
Knowledgeable people add a little salt when boiling eggs so that accidentally broken eggs do not leak out. 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 been previously 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.
So that it does not happen that all three dozen eggs bought suddenly surface, you should try to determine their freshness when buying.
Well, now we have figured out what's what, and realized that if the egg floats completely in the water, then it is stale, or even rotten. However, a boiled egg may float up, mistakenly placed next to raw ones, but such confusion rarely occurs. Therefore, it is better not to save on health and throw away a stale product.
When the eggs float in the water, this is interpreted unambiguously: you have come across a product that is not the first freshness. By moving an item in a saucepan, you can determine how long it has lain on store shelves. To do this, pour cold water into a container, put the eggs before cooking. Wait for the local storm to subside, watch.
Basically, hostesses see the following stages:
See how the shelf life of a product is visually determined. This is how eggs of various freshness behave in cold water.
These characteristics apply to chicken, quail eggs. The experiment gives reliable results, it is impossible to make a mistake with the definition of freshness. Is that if you start using a boiled egg instead of raw or salt water. Salt increases the density of the liquid, the experiment under such conditions will change.
There is such a situation: you are sure that the instance is fresh, but it still pops up. Scolding the experiment is not worth it, just inspect the egg. There are probably cracks in the shell through which air entered. It is also better not to eat this food - it is not known how the bacteria that penetrated inside affected the quality of the protein and yolk.
The question can be answered with the same simple observation. As soon as possible, compare 2 products: only from under the bird and lying down. They will have a couple of significant differences that cause the eggs to float to the surface.
What does it mean? Properties change because the shell is not airtight. It has pores that allow oxygen to pass through, microorganisms, so that a potential chick has the opportunity to survive. A certain environment is formed inside the product. If it is not cooled in time, not thermally processed, pathological microorganisms will take over.
Why does it pop up? During storage, eggs lose moisture, available carbon dioxide. The protein becomes more liquid, takes up less space. An air chamber is formed inside - a scarecrow. It causes the laid eggs to strive to the surface of the water.
During heat treatment, even a fresh egg can change position relative to the bottom. This does not mean that the product has suddenly deteriorated. The fright is to blame again - it is the main reason that the boiled egg has surfaced after cooking.
Under the influence of high temperature, the protein and yolk coagulate. Their volume decreases, excess moisture evaporates, the vacant place is occupied by air. The chamber pushes the product out of the water after cooking.
If the egg floats in water during cooking, its further fate depends on freshness. A completely floating product should not be eaten. Send it to your shopping cart right away. It is allowed to eat what has lain down for 2-3 weeks, only the egg must be boiled until fully cooked. Poached, scrambled eggs with semi-liquid yolk and protein is better not to do. Health is more expensive.
Eat daily, weekly copies safely. First of all, try to use the latter so that they do not deteriorate. To avoid unpleasant consequences, choose dishes that involve high-quality heat treatment of eggs - salmonella is also found in the freshest.
If the explanation of the reasons why an egg floats during cooking does not seem convincing and you don’t want to refuse spoiled eggs, pay attention to the consequences of eating them. Yes, the product may have a normal appearance, smell, but the freshness test warns that pathological changes inside are already in full swing. If you eat, you risk earning serious poisoning.
The latter appears 6-8 hours after a meal. Depending on the degree of damage to the body, the symptoms may be different:
If this occurs, you should immediately seek medical help, otherwise the consequences can be terrible. This is especially true of egg poisoning in children. As a self-medication, it is only useful to induce vomiting, rinse the stomach until an ambulance arrives. If you have a home, it is also allowed to drink a sorbent like activated carbon, enterosgel. Drugs will reduce the number of pathogenic organisms, alleviate suffering.
If you feel sorry for the money spent so much that you are ready to eat a spoiled product, learn how to determine their freshness in the store. To do this, it is useful to remember 5 elementary rules. They will not allow sellers to deceive you or inadvertently choose a stale product.
Any housewife wants to check the freshness of eggs at home and be sure of their quality. The freshness of eggs can be determined in water. Do you have homemade eggs or store eggs - sometimes doubts arise and it takes only a couple of minutes to dispel them!
On our mini-farm, especially in the summer, it often happens that a lot of eggs accumulate. You sort them for some time, shift them where it is fresher, but then you will certainly get confused anyway. And then simple tests help me.
There is no air in the freshest egg laid that day. A chicken egg does not float, it lies at the bottom of a glass of water.
The shell membrane of the egg (film) fits snugly against the shell, and the inner one covers the protein. They are strongly connected to each other.
It is for this reason that it is absolutely impossible to peel a fresh hard-boiled egg!!! The shell lags behind only with the protein and no cold water after cooking will help! The peeled egg has a completely unpresentable appearance!
For hard boiled - I select chicken eggs, which have already lain down for a week.
The egg has risen with the blunt end up or is floating in the middle of a glass of water.
After the egg cools, the egg mass inside the shell shrinks somewhat, decreases in volume. The inner shells (films) diverge, forming an air pocket on the blunt side of the egg. The longer the egg lies, the more moisture evaporates through the pores of the shell and air is sucked in.
With such freshness, eggs are wonderfully hard-boiled and easily peeled!
The egg is on the surface of the water, completely surfaced.
Therefore, the egg is old, has been lying for a long time and sucked a lot of air. Inside there have been qualitative changes. The protein became liquid, like water. The yolk has flattened out.
This does not mean that the egg is spoiled and should not be eaten.
I sometimes lay such eggs from the total mass and break them into a separate cup, in case it is still spoiled. And since domestic chickens almost every day, then there is always plenty of fresh eggs. old chicken eggs I usually give it to the dog.
By the way, domestic eggs you can’t wash everything at once, but only the amount that you are going to cook.
Chicken eggs are covered with a shell membrane (cuticle). It closes pores, prevents excessive evaporation of moisture and serves as an antibacterial barrier. Over time, the cuticle breaks down and the egg becomes shiny. It's another one test for the freshness of eggs at home!
