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When purchasing groceries, it’s becoming crucial for Americans to make the most of their money – or in this particular case, their eggs.
We chatted with an expert in food safety to learn all you need to know about storing eggs correctly, so you can confidently consume each one safely.
How long do eggs remain fresh in the refrigerator?
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To keep eggs as fresh as possible, Cartwright recommends storing them in their original carton with the pointed end down. This helps maintain freshness by keeping the air cell at the top, which reduces moisture loss and keeps the yolk centered.
Rather than use a door, he suggests, because the temperature in that area tends to fluctuate.
This salad should keep fresh in the refrigerator for approximately one week, as recommended by the United States Department of Agriculture.
Why do we cool eggs before consuming them?
In the United States, eggs need to be refrigerated because the manufacturing process that cleans them removes the natural protective shell coating, making them more prone to bacterial contamination,” says Cartwright. “In other countries, unrefrigerated eggs are common as they still have their protective coating intact. Nevertheless, once eggs are refrigerated, they should stay that way to prevent moisture buildup, which encourages bacterial growth.
According to the USDA, it’s a good idea to store eggs straight from the hen in the refrigerator soon after they’re collected.
How to Determine the Freshness of Eggs at Home
Do you want to check if the eggs you have at home are still fresh? There are a few easy methods to help you determine the freshness of eggs at room temperature.
**Using the Water Test**
1. Fill a bowl with water.
2. Gently place an egg into the water.
3. If it sinks to the bottom and lies flat, it’s fresh.
4. If it stands on its end, it’s about a week old.
5. If it floats, it’s past its expiration date.
**The Sniff Test**
Simply smell the egg by holding it up to your nose. Fresh eggs give off a mild, slightly sweet smell. If the odour is strong, sour, or unpleasant, the egg has gone bad.
**The Candle Test**
This method only works for eggs that have a small hole in them, such as when the shell is cracked or otherwise compromised.
In a dark room, hold an egg up to the flame of a candle and carefully observe the air pocket inside. A fresh egg’s air pocket is narrow.
As an egg ages, the moisture in the air pocket evaporates and the air pocket expands.
**Important Notes:**
– Do not test eggs that are dirty or have visible cracks.
– Always cook, boil, or deep-fry eggs that are at least 7 days old.
– If you’re unsure whether a specific egg is fresh, follow the order of these tests and start with the water test.
With your scrambled egg and a glass of ice water.
To determine if an egg is still good to use, start by placing the egg in a large glass of cold water. Carefully drop the egg into the water. If it tilts to its side but still rests at the bottom of the glass, the egg is still fresh and good to eat. Eggs that sink, but remain upright, are also still usable, but will be less fresh, so it’s a good idea to use them as soon as possible. If the egg rises straight to the top of the water, it has gone bad and should be discarded.
The test works,” Cartwright says, “because air accumulates inside the egg as it becomes older, making it less dense and more buoyant.
Here are some key things to keep in mind when it comes to testing eggs for freshness using the floating test. Just because one egg passes the test, it doesn’t necessarily mean that all eggs in the same carton will pass, so it’s essential to individually test each one before cooking. “A potent, sulfur-like smell when you crack a raw egg is a definitive indicator that the egg has spoiled,” advises Cartwright.
Another thing to be aware of is “an unusual color, like pink, green, or rainbow-colored ding in the egg white or yolk, which might show that the egg has been contaminated with bacteria,” Cartwright notes.
Are the sell-by dates on eggs reliable?
Cartwright states that the “best-by” date on eggs is merely a guideline, rather than an absolute rule. Eggs, he notes, can be safely consumed for one to two weeks beyond the printed date, provided they have been properly refrigerated.
“As eggs grow older, they tend to lose some firmness and their whites may become slightly runny, but they are still safe to consume,” he notes.
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Can I freeze eggs?
To prepare the egg mixture, you can break the eggs and then mash the yolks and whites together. Alternatively, you can separate the yolks from the whites and freeze them individually. The USDA recommends freezing egg whites, as they retain their texture, but if you want to freeze egg yolks, you’ll need to mix in salt, corn syrup, or sugar to maintain their consistency.
