Good or bad eggs?

[AshleyThom]

First time doing the float test. 3 on the left are touching the bottom, but standing up. Toss or keep?

Thank you!

 

[nuthatched]

The float test doesn't actually tell you if the eggs are good or bad, or even how old they are. It tell you how much moisture the eggs have lost. The best way is to smell them or crack them open, since spoiled eggs will often sink.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Those eggs should be fine. Crack them open in a separate container before you add them to what you're making. Just to be safe.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I agree, that test does not tell you if they are good or bad, just how much moisture they have lost. I agree we should always crack our eggs into a separate bowl before we mix them. That's more for meat spots or blood spots than whether they have gone bad. It' just a good habit to get in.

I admit I got a giggle out of that graph showing stale or bad eggs. Just because they float doesn't mean they are bad. Some people let eggs age if they are going to boil them. When they age they are easier to peel without tearing up the surface. I don't consider those eggs stale at all.

 

[aart]

Already stated, but.....
Floating an egg will only tell you how old it might be.
They float due to evaporation when older.
It will not tell you if an egg is 'good' or 'bad'.
Plus then you've wetted the egg so it should be thoroughly washed and refrigerated.


When in doubt....
Open eggs one at a time in a separate dish before adding to pan or recipe,
use your eyes, nose, and common sense to decide if egg is OK to eat.

 

[3KillerBs]

Some people let eggs age if they are going to boil them. When they age they are easier to peel without tearing up the surface. I don't consider those eggs stale at all.

Yes. My DH gripes a lot if he can't peel his eggs so I age them 2 weeks before hard-boiling.

use your eyes, nose, and common sense to decide if egg is OK to eat.

I think that "food safety experts" have made people afraid to use "common sense judgement" by applying what is necessary in a commercial food preparation environment, where you must have wide safety margins to account for both unexpected/unknown factors AND customers potentially acting stupidly to home use of home-prepared foodstuffs.

As a deli clerk I routinely shrink out and trash pieces of lunchmeat based on the calendar date which I *know* would still be good for several days (accounting for the fact that customers will buy it on the last day of sale and store it (Boar's Head recommends using sliced meat within 3 days)), or, in the case of cheeses, several WEEKS.