The American website Martha Stewart, specialized in cooking, home, and lifestyle, published an article to clarify how to determine if eggs are still good to eat. The publication interviewed Cameron Whitehead, manager at egg producer Pete & Gerry's, and Trevor Craig, a food safety specialist at Microbac Laboratories, who explained the precautions for egg storage and the signs indicating deterioration.
According to the experts, exceeding the date indicated on the packaging does not necessarily mean the egg became dangerous at that moment, but it also does not allow concluding that all eggs remain suitable for consumption for a certain number of days. When opening an egg, an unpleasant smell or abnormal coloring are reasons to reject it, as well as appearance changes such as a slimy texture, which may be associated with bacterial growth.
One of the methods presented to assess freshness involves carefully placing the egg in a container of cold water. Fresher eggs tend to sink and lie flat at the bottom, while older eggs may remain in a vertical position or rise to the surface. However, the experts warn that this test only indicates the aging of the egg, without functioning as a food safety guarantee. Another method involves checking the consistency of the egg white: in a fresh egg, the white remains thick and concentrated around the yolk, while in an older egg it becomes more liquid and spreads easily across the plate.
The Martha Stewart website recommends storing eggs in their original packaging, which protects against absorption of odors and flavors from other foods in the refrigerator, while also preserving information about dates and storage instructions. The publication also reminds readers that raw eggs can carry bacteria such as Salmonella, so when there are doubts about their storage they should not be used in uncooked preparations, such as homemade mayonnaise or egg-based drinks.
