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Is the Best Egg a Fresh Egg?

Is the Best Egg a Fresh Egg?

The varying degrees of egg freshness determine what dishes they are best suited for. To test the freshness of an egg, place it in a bowl of water and watch - if it floats, the egg is not very fresh, but it doesn't mean it's ready for the compost bin just yet. 

The freshest eggs in the basket are great for poaching or frying, as the white won't separate. A few days on, eggs are good for boiling, as the white will separate more easily from the shell when peeling.

A bit later, use your eggs for scrambling, frittatas or omelettes where the eggs can be combined with other ingredients. And lastly, the older eggs are perfect for baking.



If you're really concerned about the egg's freshness, do the nose test. Crack it into a bowl and sniff the contents - if it smells off, don't use it.



Images: Shutterstock | Unsplash - Alison Marras
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Science Notes
It is how an egg floats that you need to pay attention to in assessing both the age of an egg and whether you can still eat it.

The angle of the egg dangle is linked to the amount of oxygen inside the egg.

When an egg is first laid, the inner shell membrane pulls away slightly from the outer shell membrane and this creates a small air pocket.

When an egg is first laid, it will lie flat on the bottom of a container of water.

Chicken egg shells are a semi permeable membrane and over time, as the air pocket expands and so the egg will slowly stand on end and after 2 - 3 weeks, it will start to rise to the top. 

Related Tip
If you keep hens, make sure their laying area is always kept clean.

While it isn't true that Salmonella is transmitted through dirty egg shells, it does come from an infected hen.