How To Tell If Eggs Are Fresh; The Egg Test
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Are Your Chicken Eggs Fresh?
Use this easy test at home to determine if your uncooked eggs are fresh or not. Old eggs can lead to salmonella poisoning. Find how to avoid getting salmonella.
If you’ve ever wondered how to tell if your eggs are fresh I will share how to test your eggs. You will want to begin performing the ‘Egg Test” at home to make sure your eggs are safe.
All eggs bought at grocery stores will have or should have an expiration date stamped on the carton that houses the eggs. This is an FDA requirement. Yes, the FDA regulates egg processing plants, such as egg plants that wash, sort and pack eggs.
Washing Eggs
Before a chicken expels an egg it has a protective coating called “egg bloom” or cuticle to the outside of the egg. This coating actually protects the egg from bacteria passing through the shell and into the membrane. It helps to make the egg last longer.
Once the cuticle is rinsed from the egg the shell is at risk for allowing bacteria to pass through the shell and into the egg.
The eggs purchased at the grocery store no longer have this natural protective coating as it is washed off during processing.
As a backyard chicken owner when we gather eggs we do not rinse the eggs until ready to use because we don’t want to remove the cuticle.
Can Eggs Make Us Sick?
Generally, eggs are safe to eat. Although some eggs may contain a bacteria called Salmonella enteritidis. This bacteria silently infects the ovaries of a healthy appearing hen and contaminates the eggs even before the shell forms.
The bacteria, Salmonella enteritidis, can be an egg-associated infection. It can be found in perfectly normal eggs and if the eggs are eaten raw or undercooked, the bacteria can cause illnesses. Therefore, it is highly recommended to cook eggs thoroughly prior to eating to avoid salmonella poisoning.
FDA studies have shown eggs to be 90% sterile when laid in the commercial settings. There are times bacteria can still penetrate through the eggs.
Commercial eggs go through a strict process of monitoring for bacteria such as Salmonella Enteritidis prior to even being able to send out of their plants.
If the eggs ever test positive for bacteria then they are sent to be heat-treated, or pasteurized, in order to kill all bacteria that could be in the egg white and yolks.
What Are Signs If You Have Contracted The Bacteria?
Salmonella poisoning symptoms appear anywhere from 8 to 72 hours after ingestion. Symptoms include the following:
- Severe lower abdominal pain
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Chills
- Headache
Seek medical attention if you believe you have salmonella poisoning.
How To Reduce The Risk Of Salmonella Poisoning
- Keep eggs refrigerated at temperatures at least 45 degrees Fahrenheit or less.
- Discard cracked eggs
- Wash hands and cooking utensils with soap and water after contact with raw eggs
- Avoid eating raw eggs
- Use pasteurized eggs in any recipe that calls for raw eggs (such as Hollandaise sauce or caesar salad dressing)
- Eat eggs promptly after cooking
- Refrigerate uneaten eggs after cooking
The Home Egg Test
To test your eggs for freshness fill a glass with cold tap water.
Place the egg into the glass of water as noted above.
If the egg sinks to the bottom of the glass that means the egg is good and probably more likely fresh than not and safe to eat.
Now, if the egg floats to the top of the glass that means the egg is old and not good for eating or cooking with. Discard the egg that floats to the top.
Thank you for stopping by. I hope you found this information helpful. Even though we raise our own backyard chickens we test our eggs every time prior to use. Hopefully, you will too.
Sources:
Since I am not an official egg expert: https://eggsafety.org/
