Are eggs that float, bad or just "not fresh"

[Germaine_11.20]

Hi, I stored some eggs in the fridge. They have been there for about 1 and 1/2 months.
When I did the float test, they floated. Do I need to toss them or are they just "not fresh"
We aren't getting many eggs anymore so if they are useable I would like to.

The DH ate some this morning and never said a word or got sick (uh oh...)

The yolks are solid and the whites are not runny and they smell fine when I crack one open. But they float.???

Anyone know the answer.

 

[satay]

I have always been told and go by if they float they are bad and I throw them out.

 

[Cara]

As a rule:

Float completely = bad
Tilt = not particularly fresh
Sink = good

Maybe yours are on the borderline.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Thank you

 

[Tala]

The last one I had that floated, I fed to the dog. It wasn't bad though.

I don't generally test mine, I just happened to be hard boiling these and I prefer to use older eggs for hard boiling.

I always heard that eggs were either good or bad, not in-between, and you would smell it if they were bad. I just go by my nose and we've never had a truely bad egg.

 

[debilorrah]

I do the float test on mine when we go too long without collecting. If the even tilt upwards I toss them. I am selling FRESH eggs.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

A floater isn't necessarily rotten, but it is assuredly not fresh. It's the size of the air cell within that determines whether an egg floats or not. The more water lost over time the larger the air cell.

If the eggs were OK to begin with but have been in the refrigerator for the last thirty to forty five days I'd crack each one into a bowl first. Chances are they're just old, but otherwise usable for baking and so on. They won't fry well for being watery.

Eggs that haven't been under refrigeration for that length of time I'd simply toss out unless I just had to have some then I'd crack each one into a bowl OUTSIDE.

.....Alan.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Wonderful, just the information I was looking for. Thanks everyone.

 

[tdgill]

I just cracked open some floaters and they were nice perky yolks!

 

[FourPawz]

YMMV

My FIL went to commercial bakery school and they purposely took old eggs and used them in cakes. The cakes came out fine every time.

I don't know if I would have the courage to use an egg that had an odor, but one that floats might be ok for use in baking.

Or, you can always feed 'em to the dawgs