How often have you broken an egg into a dish of other ingredients just to wonder if it’s still good or if it’s past its prime? How to tell if chicken eggs are bad?
Unfortunately, because of the protective, thick shell that masks the quality of the white and yolk, eggs are not the most straightforward food item to assess for freshness.
When eggs go extremely bad, they produce a strong bad smell, sometimes change color, and make it toxic to consume. In some circumstances, it may not produce a bad smell or change color but you can see a change in the quality of the egg content.
However, there are a few simple methods for you to know how to tell if chicken eggs are bad or fresh and what happens if you eat a bad egg.
What does a bad egg look like when cracked?
A bad egg will show signs of discolored yolk content, watery yolk, and sulfuric smell. In general, when an egg goes bad you can’t separate the yolk from the white.
You may have seen blood clots in some eggs this does not mean the egg is bad. This is what it means, to you the egg average table egg consumer that is a bad egg but that would have been of value to the chicken breeder.
Fertile eggs start forming embryos when exposed to high temperatures after a few days of laying. The presence of blood stains or blood clots means an egg is fertile and embryo development has taken place.
How to tell if eggs are good?
You can’t judge the quality of an egg from the outside look until you break it. The best way to tell if eggs are good is to break them into separate trays and assess their quality. Below is a list of characteristics of a good egg.
1. Bright yellow yolk or
2. Orange yolk.
3. Thickish white that doesn’t spread too far.
4. Easy to separate the yolk from the white.
5. It should smell like an egg.
How to tell if an egg is bad in water?
1. Fill a bowl with cold tap water.
2. Put the eggs in it.
3. If they sink, they are fresh.
4. If they float, they are bad.
5. Bad eggs float due to the large air cell that forms at its base.
If farm fresh eggs float are they bad?
Yes. Some farms do not store their eggs properly. In the USA fresh eggs from farms are brought to grocery shops for people to purchase. During this period of waiting, eggs that were not properly stored will go bad.
For proper storage of eggs,
- Wash the eggs with tap water.
- Do it gently to avoid cracks.
- Wipe the water off the eggshell.
- Arrange the eggs in a fresh and clean crate.
- Store it in a cool and dry place.
How do you know if an egg is bad after boiling?
Your freezer can keep hard-boiled eggs for a week. A rotten egg can make you sick, so throw it away if it starts to smell strong or has a slimy or chalky texture.
What happens if you eat a bad egg?
The risk of eating bad eggs is Salmonella infection, which can cause diarrhea, vomiting, and fever. A person can reduce the risk of Salmonella by keeping eggs refrigerated, discarding any with cracked shells, and cooking them thoroughly before eating them.
The majority of the time, your body will heal from the effects of poor eggs within a few days. Drink water, ginger ale, or diluted sports drinks to remain hydrated when you’re unwell. Call your doctor if you have a weakened immune system, are extremely young or old, or both.
Source:PoultryABC.com
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