Good Egg…or Bad?

Ever wonder if the eggs you’re buying are fresh? Here’s how to tell.

At the large end of the egg there is an air pocket about an 1/8 deep and approximately as large around as a dime. As an egg ages it loses both moisture and carbon dioxide causing the egg to shrink and the size of the air space to increase.  By placing an egg in water the size of that airspace determines the buoyancy of the egg – and it’s freshness.

• When you submerge a fresh egg in water it will rest on the bottom.
• An egg that is about a week old will bob slightly on the bottom.
• At about three weeks old it will balance on its small end, with large end straight up.
• A bad egg will float.

 

16 thoughts on “Good Egg…or Bad?”

  2. This sounds like fun. I’m going to have to test my eggs. I also hope you don’t mind if I steal your statement “a bad egg will float” sometime. That’s got to come in handy somewhere.

  3. I once went to an egg farm to buy fresh eggs. It seems I had missed the harvest season. That was ok, because there had been a severe drought and the eggs that were harvested were shriveled and puny. I bought egg seeds instead and grew my own. I had both white and brown eggs growing but egg race riots broke out and my entire crop was burnt to the ground. I then tried egg beaters but found no enjoyment roughing up a few innocent eggs. Anyway, I hate violence.

  4. When I’m in the tub my large end floats straight up. It’s quite a site if I say so myself. Very disturbing actually.

  5. I’ve always wondered about this. Sell by dates/use by dates aren’t always specific. Thanks for sharing your expertise. I’ll be experimenting when I get home.

  7. Great tips, but I am afraid that I have to rely on the date stamps on the eggs when I buy them. I did get some fresh eggs from an egg farm this past summer and they were fabulous. If I am able to get them again, I will use your tips.

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