Words: Sue Clarke. All those years of cracking open perfect supermarket eggs might have made you think all eggs are like that. Eggs sold in large commercial quantities go through a thorough checking process: any eggs with obvious damage or imperfect shells are removed. The eggs are then packaged by weight. Every now and then, it will be something really disgusting. The worst is an egg gone bad, one that has been invaded by bacteria, creating an explosive green, grey gassy… mixture.
There is often nothing on the outside to give you a warning. Older eggs float as the porous shell will have allowed air, and possibly bacteria, to infiltrate it. A freshly-laid, still warm egg white albumen may have a slightly cloudy appearance, caused by the CO2 within the egg. It soon dissipates through the pores of the shell once the egg cools down. Watery whites can be an indicator of a viral disease condition like infectious bronchitis.
It can also cause pale shells, deformed shells, and shell-less eggs, but not necessarily physical symptoms in a hen. The most popular brown egg breeders are Rhode Island Red, New Hampshire, or Plymouth Rock breeds, and because the hens are slightly bigger and require more food, brown eggs are usually more expensive than white ones, although there is no difference nutritionally.
Additives are not allowed by law; however marigold petals are often added to enhance the color. The whites of eggs should be opalescent rather than white to indicate freshness. USDA-inspected plants that package eggs indicate when the eggs are packed; most also indicate suggested expiration dates. Some states have their own guidelines for locally produced eggs. Plants not under USDA inspection may package eggs without dates. Most laying hens are fed grains, are kept in indoor areas, and the time between laying and packaging is very short to insure freshness.
Other producers opt for certain breeds because they naturally produce larger eggs. These are all factors to consider in the purchase of eggs. No matter where you live, consider buying eggs produced as close to you as possible. Store them in the carton and make sure the lid is securely fastened. Because eggshells have thousands of tiny pores, do not store them in an open basket or box which will make the eggs vulnerable to absorbing odors from other foods.
Never store them in the egg unit in the door of a refrigerator which prevents a proper airflow. He welcomes questions and comments, which can be sent to phil. You should upgrade or use an alternative browser. Thread starter s6bee Start date Jan 23, Sort by date Sort by reaction score. Jul 1, 1, 2 Western, NY. Ok, stupid question and not that I'm concerned, but when I crack open my eggs, some have very translucent egg "whites" and some are cloudy.
Does it matter? Why would this be? Thanks, Steph. CovenantCreek Chicks Rule! Oct 19, 1, 4 Franklin, TN. I think it was MissPrissy who recently posted something about cloudy egg whites being an indication of the freshness of the egg. I forget which forum it was in, though, and all the other details she mentioned May 7, 24, Forks, Virginia.
Cloudy egg whites indicates just how very fresh your eggs are. The carbon dioxide in what causes the white to have a cloudy look. In an older egg the white is clear because the carbon dioxide has had time to escape through the shell. Ah, so cloudy isn't bad.
Ok, sounds about right. Churkenduse Songster 12 Years. Jan 1, 8 A major health risk associated with eggs is Salmonella , a harmful bacteria that can cause food poisoning. Salmonella is often found on the outside of the shell, and can sometimes be in the egg itself.
Buy graded eggs look for the maple leaf symbol on the carton , which have been inspected for cracks, cleanliness, and properly stored, to reduce risk. In general, eggs have a relatively long shelf life. This is due to the protective layer that coats them, preventing any bacteria or dirt from getting through the pores of the egg shell. In Canada, eggs undergo thorough washing that removes this layer, so they need to be refrigerated to prevent harmful bacteria from growing.
Fresh, new eggs will have bright orange yolks and thick, cloudy whites that closely surround the yolk. For detecting rotten eggs, use your nose.
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