What does it mean if a raw or boiled chicken or quail egg floats in cold water?
- A good method for checking eggs for freshness is to immerse store-bought or market-bought eggs in any container filled with cool water. This applies to both chicken and quail eggs.
- As a rule, when floats at the bottom , this indicates its good quality and freshness. And, accordingly, vice versa: if the egg floats , then this demonstrates the fact that it is old and, quite possibly, spoiled.
- This is how the quality of a product was determined in ancient times; this method has remained relevant and reliable today.
Should chicken and quail eggs float?
- Should the egg float? To answer this question, you need to understand the reason that makes an egg float or sink. The fact is that the blunt end of the egg contains a cavity that accumulates air that feeds the embryo of the future chicken.
- The more days an egg is stored, the more air layer accumulates in it, causing the egg to rise up out of the water. So the floating egg may simply be old.
- This factor is also influenced by another process that occurs over time as a result of microbes entering the inner sphere of the egg through the shell. If, as a result of some reason (say, cracks in the shell, storage in improper conditions, etc.) a lot of microbes accumulate, the protein may begin to rot and decompose, which is accompanied by the release of gases.
Check freshness
- It is a large accumulation of gases that pushes the egg to the surface , thereby indicating that it is not only old, but also rotten. Therefore, the answer to the question posed above is clear: a raw egg should not float in water, it can only sink.
Reviews from netizens
The first, one might say, old-fashioned way, is with the help of water. As you know, the older the egg, the more air appears inside it. This happens because over time, the liquid gradually evaporates from the egg, and the white dries out. Which affects its buoyancy. A completely fresh egg dropped into water immediately sinks to the bottom, lying flat. After lying there for several days, it will already become “on the butt”, sticking up, with the pointed end up. Well, the old, bad egg will float on the surface.
The second way is more obvious - break an egg. Fresh whites will not spread over the entire bottom of the bowl, but will look like thick transparent jelly, and the yolk will resemble a half-deflated ball.
Well, finally, you can illuminate the eggs with a hundred-watt light bulb. The air chamber in this case will be immediately visible. You can also see dark spots, and the yolk will be pressed against the shell, which should not be the case.
Store-bought egg: 65 g, and from your own chicken: 105 g. Feel the difference.
The egg floats: is it safe to eat?
- If the egg floats, this indicates that the product is clearly not fresh. But which one? Second or third? But Woland also argued that freshness can only come first.
- So, if you notice that an egg floats in cold water and does not sink under water, it is better not to risk it and double-check its quality. Break mercilessly - one or even a dozen eggs cannot cost more than your health. Pay attention to factors such as the presence of a characteristic hydrogen sulfide odor and whether the protein is transparent or not.
- And if the smell is noticeable, and the protein is clearly cloudy, then it is better to throw away such a product and not eat it.
Another check option
Determining freshness using water
For testing we will need:
- A deep saucer, preferably transparent.
- Cold water.
- Eggs.
This method makes it easy to determine whether eggs can be eaten or should be thrown away. Our grandmothers also used it.
- Place the bowl on a flat countertop and fill it with water, almost to the brim.
Place the egg in the water carefully so as not to break it on the bottom. It either sinks or floats.
Those that floated to the top should be thrown away. They've gone bad. If a raw egg floats in water, it is not fresh. This rule applies only to clean water. Everyone floats in salty water due to the increased density of water. For the same reason, the protein does not come out of a cracked shell when cooked. The salty liquid squeezes it.
Testicles that have sunk but are standing upside down indicate the end of their shelf life. You can still eat them, they won’t do any harm. From the expiration date on the box, you can eat them for another three weeks. But be sure to test for freshness this way.
Those that have drowned and lie on their sides at the bottom are the freshest. They can be eaten immediately or stored in the refrigerator. The optimal temperature for storing the product is +4 degrees.
Children's experiments are conducted with eggs, water and salt to explain to the child the physical properties of water. This knowledge is used, as you noticed, to determine the freshness of the product. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uEH23Vn6_U
Chicken and quail eggs float and do not sink after cooking: what does this mean, is it possible to eat it?
- Generally, when heated, any egg will move in water , regardless of whether it is fresh or not. The reason for this is again in the air. During cooking, the rising temperature coagulates the white and yolk, reducing their volume by increasing the volume of air.
- Therefore, it is worth paying attention to exactly how the egg floats in the water during cooking. If completely, refuse such a specimen; under no circumstances should you eat it! If an egg turns over in water, with its pointed end facing up, it means that it has been sitting for several days, and whether the product is edible or has spoiled will be revealed by “opening”, i.e. removing the shell and determining the smell and appearance of the egg.
- To play it safe, just in case, hard-boil such an egg, since it may have no odor, but in a semi-liquid (for example, soft-boiled or poached) state, there is a risk that pathogenic microbes have begun to develop in the egg.
How to determine the quality of a product when purchasing
It is impossible to test an egg in a store by dipping it in water or saline solution. Whether it sinks or floats up, it will only be visible at home, and only a limited range of characteristics is available for evaluation on the counter.
Particular attention should be paid to the conditions for placing packages, as well as their features.
- It is preferable that the egg storage temperature does not exceed +6 °C; it is better if the packages are in a separate refrigerator.
- Packaging made of paper or cardboard is preferable to plastic, as it does not interfere with the gas exchange of embryos if they are fertilized, and prevents them from breaking or cracking during transportation.
It is believed that plastic is more hygienic than cardboard, although in fact the material does not have a particular effect on the “morbidity” of eggs. You still won’t be able to see the product through a matte or whitish surface, but when using cellulose-based packaging, the amount of long-term decomposing waste is reduced and the threat of damage to the planet’s ecology is reduced.
Signs of a spoiled product
The first thing you should look at in the store is the shelf life indicated on the packaging. The product is considered dietary for a week, then it remains suitable for cooking for another 18 days.
The marking closest to the date of collection is applied to the shell, it indicates the day of sorting.
The shell of a good fresh egg has no cracks or foreign inclusions and is evenly colored. It remains matte and slightly rough for a long time, only leftover products become glossy and shiny. No dirt or blood is allowed.
In modern retail chains, ovoscopes are often present on tables for packaging products by customers. They allow you to check the quality of eggs from the inside. When examined, the following defects become visible:
- bloody inclusions;
- mold stains;
- small cracks in the shell;
- melted yolks.
Foreign odors become noticeable when you bring food closer to your nose. If an unpleasant odor appears (hydrogen sulfide, rot, rotten flesh), it is better to hand over the packaging to the administrator.
It is also permissible to shake the egg in your hand; it should not make any extraneous sounds or gurgles.
Do spoiled eggs always float to the surface?
- If an egg floats , this clearly indicates only one thing: it is far from fresh. But it’s difficult to say exactly how long the egg has lain before it goes into your pan: the storage period is three weeks or more.
- That is, without breaking an egg and finding additional signs that it is unfit for consumption, it is difficult to understand how spoiled it is.
- This is typical for all eggs - chicken, quail. Therefore, we can summarize that stale eggs float in the water after cooking. However, it is impossible to guarantee that the product is spoiled. An egg may lose its freshness but still be edible. To avoid mistakes, boil the floating eggs hard.
- If during cleaning you smell the smell of hydrogen sulfide , throw away the egg, but if there is no smell and the yolk is even in color, without spots or impurities, you can eat it.
Should not be used
Can a fresh egg float in salt water?
- To answer this question, you should remember and compare the sensations experienced when swimming in the river and the sea. Of course, everyone will agree that it is much easier to stay afloat in salty sea water, and you even get the feeling that the water itself is keeping you on the surface.
- The same thing happens with eggs. In salt water, eggs float to the surface even if they are exceptionally fresh. To verify this, it is enough to immerse the same egg first in ordinary water and then in salt water. It will behave differently: in the first case it will sink, in the second it will float up.
- The whole point is precisely the presence of salt, which makes the structure of the water more dense, although the density of the egg itself does not change and becomes less than the density of water.
What does it mean if an egg stands upright in water?
- It is also possible that an egg laid horizontally floats up with its blunt part up. This suggests that due to the appearance and “work” of microorganisms, the consistency of the protein and yolk has become more liquid, which, however, does not indicate that the product is unsuitable for food.
Depending on storage
- This egg is about a week old. And it’s better not to keep it for a long time, but to use it quickly. In general, an egg that has assumed a vertical position in water is about 15-20 days old. It is suitable for food, but it is advisable to subject it to prolonged heat treatment.
Storage rules
There are certain storage rules that help preserve the product for a long period of time:
- Do not wash the product before storing it. This helps wash off the natural protective layer and shortens the shelf life of eggs.
- To save money, the container in which the product was purchased can be used. The sharp end of the testicle should point down.
- You can use the folk method as a container. The product is placed in a deep bowl with cold, lightly salted water at the rate of 5 g of salt per 1 liter of water.
- In the refrigerator, it is better to place the packaging on the shelf, but not on the door. Constant temperature fluctuations will shorten product shelf life as a result of product fogging.
- You should not place cheese, fish, garlic, or onions next to the eggs. These products have a distinct odor that will transfer to the eggs.
- The storage should not be damp. This contributes to the appearance of yeast and fungi on the surface of the shell, which can get inside.
- Twice a month you need to review inventory and remove damaged copies.
- Eggs that have been stored in the refrigerator and then left at room temperature for more than 2 hours should not be eaten . The resulting moisture can cause pathogens to enter.
Shelf life depends on storage conditions: place, temperature, container used:
Sources:
https://top-lifehack.com/yaytsa-vsplyvayut-v-vode/ https://myaltynaj.ru/yajco-vsplyvaet-v-xolodnoj-vode.html https://domaferma.com/perepelki/kak-proverit -svezest-perepelinyh-aic.html
