# How to check if an Egg is Rotten



## Bethsy

I have been reading some threads about how to handle rotten eggs. Here is a trick my mother taught me:

Before cracking the eggs you wish to use, fill a bowl/sink with water (enough so that the eggs are completely submerged and then some.) Simply place the eggs in the water and watch to see if they float to the surface. If the egg is rotten or beginning to go bad it will float due to the build up of gases inside the shell. Eggs are naturally slightly buoyent so don't be concerned if they don't sit flat on the bottom, all i mean is if the FLOAT chuck them out and save yourself the smelly encounter.

Peace out. 
Bethsy.


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## TATTRAT

and a stale egg will stink threw the shell, if it is truly bad. The shell IS a membrane, and will alert you to danger if you heed the signs


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## boufa06

What Daisy said, ie. shaking an egg next to your ear to see (or rather hear) if it's rotten works without fail for me.  Eggs that have gone bad make the characteristic sound of something splashing around inside the shell while fresh eggs make no sound at all.

For those not used to this method of detection, a word of caution might be in order.  Do not hold the egg too tightly or shake too energetically.  It is not that in case you do so you will fail to detect a rotten egg.  Detection will be as easy or even easier in this case.  However, there may be undesirable side effects, if you know what I mean.


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## urmaniac13

Yey, thanks guys for very timely advices!!  I just bought new eggs, and accidentally they got mixed up with the already existing eggs (which are I am sure nearing towards the expiring date) in the fridge and I was a bit apprehensive about how to tell if some of the old ones got left behind and has gone bad... I surely would prefer avoiding those smelly encounters!!


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## Sararwelch

A fair amount of chefs break their eggs into a separate bowl before they add them to a mixture in case they get a bad egg - then it doesn't ruin everything.


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## BreezyCooking

Actually - "floating" eggs aren't necessarily "rotten" - they're just older.  And as such they are PERFECT to use for hardboiled eggs because the same air space that allows them to float also makes them a breeze to peel.

Unless you're purchasing your eggs from a local farmer who can't guarantee time/handling, the chances of your supermarket eggs being old enough to actually be "rotten" are very small unless you've had them sitting around for 6 months or so - lol!!!

As far as keeping track of which eggs are new vs. old, what I do is just buy a different color egg each time I start running out of eggs.  For instance, I bought brown eggs last time & still have a couple left, so today I bought a dozen white eggs.  This way I easily know which ones to use up first.


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## Bethsy

Breezycooking thats a bit of a gamble. If there is air of gas trapped inside the egg chances are it's a bad sign. Of corse there are different stages of an egg maturing and eventually becoming rotten.I have my own chickens, ducks and geese which all provide eggs that we eat. I strongly stand by the floatation method of testing. I also agree that it is a very good idea to always crack your eggs into a separate bowl before use.
*And just a thought. My chickens lay different colour eggs... different shapes and textures... Don't you think it is a bit unnatural that you are able to buy eggs that are all brown or all white? The colour of normal chickens eggs is greatly effected by their diet and i always varied.
*Companies who sell caged chickens eggs have realised that there is a market for people who want to buy free range eggs. As such now many companies who keep caged chickens also keep free range chickens so that they can apeal to as much of the consumer market as possible. BE CAREFUL OF WHAT YOU BUY! In choosing carefully you will be making the choice between supporting companies who abuse their chickens and companies that are humane. Just because it says free range.... doesn't mean anything.
I know this is all alittle off topic. I apologise. I hope you all enjoy continueing to eat and cook with eggs 
Bethsy.


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## Andy M.

Bethsy, I have seen completely white eggs and completely brown eggs in the supermarket all my life.  I don't think it's unnatural at all.  The breed of the chicken and the feed determines the color of the shell so it's not at all surprising that shell colors are uniform.

Breezy, I segregate old and new eggs in the fridge by keeping them in their original cartons.  No need to keep switching colors.


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## BreezyCooking

Bethsy - WHOA, WHOA, WHOA!!!

First of all, I said in my post that floating eggs from the supermarket didn't necessarily mean they were "rotten", just good for hard-boiled eggs.  Supermarket eggs are held to much hgher standards than farmers market or private sale eggs, & I "stand" by that like you "stand" by your comments.  I also stated in my post "except" if your eggs were purchased from a local farmer.  Perhaps you missed that?  If I buy eggs from my local farmer, any floaters will either be broken & sniffed or tossed.

I raised chickens for eggs for over 15 years & don't grade their quality by the color of their shells.  My Aracaunas laid eggs in shades from pink to green.  Of course eggshell color is different according to both chicken breed & diet.  However, the shell color won't differ a whole heckuva lot in supermarket eggs since each farm will be feeding the same basic diet in most cases.

But I digress - what I meant to say is Bethsy - CHILL OUT.  You are definitely not the be all & end all of chicken eggs. Neither am I.  I hate to break it to you, but there are other folks on this board who have &/or do raise chickens for both meat & eggs.  

Sorry for the rant, but geez, give me a break.


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## auntdot

Just city folk here who do now live in the country, but in a development where they don't allow anything resembling livestock larger than a gerbil (regular pets are OK but no lambs, goats, pigs, chickens, etc).

Like Andy, have always seen eggs that were either pure white or brown (most were brown in New England ).

Even when I was a kid quite a few years ago.  Never saw a speckled one (not chicken eggs anyway, quail eggs sure).

We even buy them from local growers and they are always uniform.

I guess the uniformity comes from the breed and perhaps the use of a similar feed (admittedly, don't know nothin' about breedin' no chickens).

After we retire, want to live in a place where we can try some to do some of that stuff though.

Have never, ever had a rotten egg.  We never pay any attention to the expiration date.  And generally do not use them very often.  Have had a few in the fridge from time to time we kinda were worried about (since we had not used one in a while, 'Gosh what is this egg still doing here' kind of thing) but just broke them in a bowl individually, which we routinely do anyway, and had no problem.

Knew about the water trick but never tried it because did not know how much buoyancy indicated an older egg and how much represented a rotten one.

That's pretty much all I know about raw eggs.


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## goboenomo

How long do eggs last?
We've never had an egg go bad at my house.


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## expatgirl

A bit of a digression--maybe not-----is it just me or am I  just jinxed but I've been cooking and baking for over 30 years and it seems like that in the past few years I'm getting more and more eggs with "blood spots".  Now, I've been told not to use those eggs and I don't but what makes me mad is that I'll crack 3-4 eggs in a bowl and then the last one is bloody and I have to throw everything out.  So now I find myself breaking each egg in a separate container before adding it to the rest.  Anyone else having this problem?  As for  determining fresh eggs----where I live I always "float"  my eggs. Not much  quality control I'm afraid.


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## Mrs. Cuillo

Since we are on the topic of eggs...I got one the other day with two yolks.  Is it ok to use them?? (Can you tell I am new to cooking or what?!?!)


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## Dove

Thank you daisy..that was very interesting.
Marge


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## BreezyCooking

It's definitely A-ok to use double yolkers.  When I used to raise chickens, as the birds got older we got double yolkers more & more often & considered them "Bonus Eggs" - lol!  

If the eggs you bought were from a supermarket, I'm surprised that a double-yolker snuck past the egg company, as they usually weed them out when the eggs are candled (run past a bright light so the egg can be checked for abnormalities).  But there's absolutely nothing wrong with them - they just don't "conform to the norm", as they say - lol!!


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## buckytom

i throw mine at elfie's house.

if she pulls out a pan and whips up something delicious, then i know the eggs are good.

you don't wanna know "if not"...


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## Mrs. Cuillo

Well, many things come from finding a double yolker!! I had no idea!  I was pretty suprised when I saw it myself.  Being unsure, I threw it away and used another but now I will make a wish and take it as a sign of good luck.  I need some...my family always says "Nik, if you didn't have bad luck, you'd have no luck at all".  Anything is worth a shot!!


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## boufa06

daisy said:
			
		

> Superstition has it that a double-yolker will being you good luck. I don't need to be told that - two for the price of one is always good! If you get a double-yolker when making custard, the end result will be a better colour. And there's something decadent about a poached double-yolker on toast!!
> 
> Actually, breaking a double-yolker open is a sure sign you'll be coming into some money soon, perhaps winning a prize on the lottery. Certainly, make a wish when you break a double-yolker. It's sure to come true.


Gee Daisy, what is wrong with me?  I crack open double yolkers all the time and I never got any luck in the lottery or the casino.  Could it be that my luck vanishes because I can tell a double yolker before I crack it open?


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## boufa06

Mrs. Cuillo said:
			
		

> Well, many things come from finding a double yolker!! I had no idea!  I was pretty suprised when I saw it myself.  Being unsure, I threw it away and used another but now I will make a wish and take it as a sign of good luck.  I need some...my family always says "Nik, if you didn't have bad luck, you'd have no luck at all".  Anything is worth a shot!!


My goodness, you could have thrown just one of the two yolks and bring the egg back to normal or even keep the extra yolk for a while just in case you run into a yolkless egg!


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## boufa06

Pook said:
			
		

> Ok I'll bite. Are there yolkless eggs?
> Hugs,
> Pook


Gosh, I don't know.  But there could be. Cholesterol prevention research could hatch one anytime. The good cook should be prepared.


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## BreezyCooking

Yes - there definitely are "yolkless" eggs, but they're definitely not as common as double-yolkers.

"Yolkless" eggs, "shell-less" eggs, & "softshell" eggs only appeared in my small flock when the young birds were just starting to lay.  Once they got into the swing of things, I never had any of those.  I guess some of them needed a few trial runs before they got the hang of it - lol!!!


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## boufa06

BreezyCooking said:
			
		

> Yes - there definitely are "yolkless" eggs, but they're definitely not as common as double-yolkers.
> 
> "Yolkless" eggs, "shell-less" eggs, & "softshell" eggs only appeared in my small flock when the young birds were just starting to lay.  Once they got into the swing of things, I never had any of those.  I guess some of them needed a few trial runs before they got the hang of it - lol!!!


Breezy, I am only happy to know that my earlier advice to members who are squirmish about eating double yolkers (ie. to keep the extra yolk in case they run into a no-yolker) is very much to the point.  A stitch in time ....


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## BreezyCooking

Unfortunately, it's next to impossible to run into a "no yolker" unless you're purchasing your eggs direct from a farm.

The commercial folks candle all their eggs, & a "no yolker" would definitely be discarded. The only reason "double yolkers" sometimes sneak through is because the yolks are frequently alligned so that they look like one large yolk to the candler.  If the yolks are totally separate, they're removed as well, since the commercial egg producers don't want the "average American housewife" to be disturbed if she comes across twin yolks & stops buying their eggs.

Like I said before - commercial egg production is all about conformity.


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## pondflyer

*Hard Boiled Lifetime*

Daisey said that hardboiled eggs should keep about a week in the fridge.  Is that in or out of the shell - or does it matter?


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## kitchenelf

buckytom said:
			
		

> i throw mine at elfie's house.
> 
> if she pulls out a pans a whips up something delicious, then i know the eggs are good.
> 
> you don't wanna know "if not"...



That was YOU outside my house the other night?


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## Aria

We buy our eggs from a neighbor.  They are brown and I have gotten double yokers several times.  Not too often.  Perhaps one in a year.  I never need to worry "are they fresh" ?   There is a difference in organic eggs.


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## suzyQ3

boufa06 said:
			
		

> What Daisy said, ie. shaking an egg next to your ear to see (or rather hear) if it's rotten works without fail for me.  Eggs that have gone bad make the characteristic sound of something splashing around inside the shell while fresh eggs make no sound at all.
> 
> For those not used to this method of detection, a word of caution might be in order.  Do not hold the egg too tightly or shake too energetically.  It is not that in case you do so you will fail to detect a rotten egg.  Detection will be as easy or even easier in this case.  However, there may be undesirable side effects, if you know what I mean.


I'm really confused here. Who is Daisy, and where are her posts on this thread? I see nothing about shaking eggs.


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## Katie H

suzyQ3 said:
			
		

> I'm really confused here. Who is Daisy, and where are her posts on this thread? I see nothing about shaking eggs.



I'm with suzyQ3.  Who is Daisy?  The first reference to "Daisy" was in post #3, but I saw no mention of Daisy in posts #1 or #2.  Then, to confuse matters even more, several other posters referenced and/or thanked Daisy for her information later on in this thread.

Am I living in the Twilight Zone because I've read ALL the posts and I still have no clue who Daisy is?


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## pondflyer

*EGGs-traordinary*

There WAS a post here, detailing how long one could keep eggs in various stages/forms; that's why I asked the question I did.  We all seem to be in the twilight zone.
I still need the answer to my question


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## Mrs. Cuillo

Katie E said:
			
		

> I'm with suzyQ3. Who is Daisy? The first reference to "Daisy" was in post #3, but I saw no mention of Daisy in posts #1 or #2. Then, to confuse matters even more, several other posters referenced and/or thanked Daisy for her information later on in this thread.
> 
> Am I living in the Twilight Zone because I've read ALL the posts and I still have no clue who Daisy is?


 
I agree...who is Daisy?


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## Mrs. Cuillo

pondflyer said:
			
		

> There WAS a post here, detailing how long one could keep eggs in various stages/forms; that's why I asked the question I did. We all seem to be in the twilight zone.
> I still need the answer to my question


 
Someone who knows has not yet seen this thread...they will, just give them time 

P.S.  Welcome to DC!! You will meet some wonderful people on here!!


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## Andy M.

Daisy chose to delete her posts in this thread.


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## Katie H

Andy M. said:
			
		

> Daisy chose to delete her posts in this thread.



Thank you, Andy.  I thought for a moment I was in the Twilight Zone and was missing something.

Is there any way you can synopsize her comments so the rest of us can get an idea of what she had offered on this thread?


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## Andy M.

There were several posts on different aspects of the thread.


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## Mrs. Cuillo

Well thank you Andy...I thought I was going crazy!!


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## GoDogGo

Someone also asked about the blood spot in eggs and if they are edible. Yes they are. If you don't like the spot you can remove it with the tip of a knife. The spots are not harmful and are caused by the rupture of a blood vessel during formation of the egg. The spot also does not indicate a fertilized egg as some old wives tails suggest. 

Another thing that some people don't understand is the chalazae. That's the white stringy piece that you sometimes notice when you crack the egg open. It is what anchors the yolk in the center of the white. They are neither imperfections or indication of a fertilized egg. The more visible the chalazae the fresher the egg. You can remove it or not, it has no effect in the cooking or beating of the egg. 

I have chickens and I am lucky because I get quite a few double yolkers. I also sell my eggs but keep my double yolkers for myself!

Hope this keeps everyone from throwing out good eggs!

I am always looking for recipes that use a lot of eggs since I have so many eggs to use.


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## Corey123

When using eggs for anything, I just crack them one at a time in a small bowl. That way, if it's gone south, it won't spoil the rest of them. Or whatever it is that I'm making.


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## Snoop Puss

So, to retrack, crack your eggs into a bowl to see if they're off. Presumably because the smell will let you know.

The business about floating and possibly shaking has been shown to be pointless as it only tells you the age of the egg, not the quality of the content.

Have I got that right?


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## Corey123

Yes.

If an egg floats, get rid of it. Not only will you be saving yourself or a family member from getting sick, never mind opening a can of worms. You could be opening Pandora's box!!

But also, the best way to assure that you are using the freshest eggs possible, check the date on the carton and try to use them all before the date expires.

Also, while in the store and selecting the size (I usually extra large), open the carton to see if there are any eggs that are cracked or broken.


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## grannyma

*how to tell if an egg is rotten*

floating in water is the best way to test for bad eggs
the best way to hard boil an egg (without getting a black line around the yolk) is to bring the eggs to the boil and immediately turn off the heat and let them stand in the pan covered for ten minutes,  The run under cold water until they are cold before you shell them.  This never fails.grannyma


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## Corey123

grannyma said:
			
		

> floating in water is the best way to test for bad eggs
> the best way to hard boil an egg (without getting a black line around the yolk) is to bring the eggs to the boil and immediately turn off the heat and let them stand in the pan covered for ten minutes, The run under cold water until they are cold before you shell them. This never fails.grannyma


 


Will they come out completely done doing it this way? That's how I do diced or cubed potatoes.

I als have an egg timer that you place in the pot of eggs just before adding the water. According to the areas that turn black, that determines the doneness of the egg.


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## Caine

Sniffing? Shaking? Floating? Breaking into a separate bowl?  Where do you people buy your eggs, from a street vendor in a third world country? 

I have never, ever encountered a bad egg (in the literal sense of course. There are a lot "bad eggs" around and I have probably been invloved with most of those in one way or another) in over 30 years of cooking.


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## Andy M.

I have never come across a bad egg that had an unbroken shell.  I always check a carton of eggs for cracked shells and expiration date.  

It's a real challenge to buy eggs in Aruba.  Sometimes the shelf has carton after carton of eggs with mostly cracked shells so you have to mix and match to get a whole dozen.  They are often stored outside the chilled case on the floor.  That's when there are eggs at all.


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## Corey123

I've come across bad eggs several times.

And yes Caine, believe it or not, a floating egg DEFINITELY DOES signify that the egg has gone south. That's a sure-fire way to know whether the egg is good or not when it's put in water. 

And breaking an egg into a separate bowl IS good practice because you never know if the egg is really good until you crack it anyway.

And oh yes, I buy my eggs at the supermarket in my area.


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## lbb87

How do you tell if a hard boiled egg is bad?

I fixed some on April 7 and dyed them the next day. I just went to eat one and part of the yolk was gray. I've read that the gray is a sign that it was overcooked and it's harmless to eat. However, I've never seen one this gray before. None of the other eggs were this gray. Also, it smelled really bad. It didn't smell rotten, just bad. I figured if it smelled this bad, it probably tastes bad too. So I didn't eat it. Would it have been ok to eat?


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## Corey123

If it floats in the water, then get rid of it.

Yes, overboiled eggs CAN make the yolks gray. It's happened to me many times. 

The smell is normal. when eggs are boiled in the shells. You've probably never cooked or eaten boiled eggs before.


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## Caine

Corey123 said:
			
		

> I've come across bad eggs several times.
> 
> And breaking an egg into a separate bowl IS good practice


 
Like I said, I've been cooking for over 30 years. I don't NEED to practice!


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