Eggs are a common part of the diet of people all over the world. They are extremely versatile, you can make a delicious and varied breakfast from them, but they are also a great addition to lunch meals or as an ingredient in desserts. That’s why it pays to know how to check if an egg that’s been in the fridge for days is safe to eat. There are simple ways to do it.

An old egg can not only spoil the taste of the prepared food, but also cause very serious health consequences, including salmonellosis infection. So if you have doubts about whether the eggs you want to use are fresh, it is worth putting them through the old and proven tests. Our grandmothers used to do it and were never disappointed.

Three ways to check egg freshness

The egg should be stored at a constant temperature below 20 degrees Celsius, in a dark place. Most often, of course, it is a refrigerator. Chicken eggs should be good for consumption for up to a month.

If you are not sure how many days the egg in your hand has been in the refrigerator, you can check its freshness in these three ways.

A glass of water

This is the easiest and most popular way.

Take a tall glass and fill it 2/3 full with cold water. Put an egg in it.

  • If the egg immediately falls to the bottom of pit is biting and lying straight on its side, it is very fresh.
  • If the egg falls to the bottom of the glass, but it leans slightly to the vertical axis or even stands on the bottom – it is at least a few days old, but still edible.
  • If the egg floats on waterit has already accumulated a lot of air, so it is spoiled. They need to be thrown out.

Shake the egg

Although this method looks rather primitive, it can undoubtedly help us. Take the “suspect” egg in your hand and shake it quickly, preferably close to your ear.

  • If we don’t hear anythingthe egg is fresh.
  • If you hear the characteristic bubbling – there is a lot of air inside, the egg is rotten.

Taste and smell

If we did not check the state of the egg in advance and boiled it, for example, hard-boiled, we can still find out how fresh it is (or vice versa).

  • If it emits an unpleasant smell and tastes strange when cooked or after peeling, it is stale.
  • If after peeling you can see that the yolk sticks to the shell, the egg is a few weeks old, but if it doesn’t smell, it can be eaten.

Should eggs be washed?

In general, eggs should not be washed or cleaned, as these activities can damage the eggshell, which is an effective barrier preventing the entry of bacteria and has a number of properties that protect the egg from microorganisms.

How long do you keep eggs in the fridge? After this time, they must be thrown away