✅ The Most Accurate Way: The Water Float Test
🧪 How it works:
Place the egg in a bowl or glass of cold water and observe what it does.
| Egg Position in Water | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Sinks and lays flat | 🟢 Very fresh |
| Sinks but stands upright | 🟡 Still safe to eat, but not super fresh |
| Floats | 🔴 Old or spoiled – do not eat |
🔬 Why this works:
As eggs age, the air cell inside gets larger due to moisture and gas exchange through the porous shell. The more air inside, the more buoyant the egg becomes.
There are also some other ways you should know.
✅ 2. The Sniff Test (For cracked or questionable eggs)
How to do it:
- Crack the egg into a clean bowl (separate from your recipe)
- Smell immediately
Fresh egg: Little to no smell
Spoiled egg: Strong rotten or sulfur-like smell → Don’t eat!
This test is foolproof — if it smells bad, it is bad.
✅ 3. The Visual Crack Test
How to do it:
- Crack the egg open and inspect:
| Egg Appearance | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Rounded yolk, thick whites | 🟢 Very fresh |
| Flat yolk, runny whites | 🟡 Still usable, less fresh |
| Discolored or cloudy | 🔴 Toss it — likely spoiled |
Note: A slightly cloudy white can actually indicate freshness — that’s from natural CO₂ that hasn’t escaped yet.
✅ 4. The Shake Test (Quick but not as precise)
How to do it:
- Hold the egg near your ear and shake gently
No sound: Fresh
Sloshing sound: Older egg – whites have thinned
This method is less accurate but can give you a quick idea.
✅ 5. The Light Test (Candling) – 🕯️ For real egg nerds!
How to do it:
- In a dark room, shine a small flashlight or phone light behind the egg
What you’ll see in a fresh egg:
- Small air cell
- Yolk doesn’t move much
- Clear outline
Older eggs:
- Large air pocket
- Yolk moves freely
Farmers use this method to check fertilized eggs and freshness before packaging!
🌟 BONUS TIP: Check the Pack Date (Julian Code)
Most egg cartons (especially in the U.S.) have a 3-digit Julian date printed (e.g. 032 = Feb 1st).
- Eggs are typically safe for 3–5 weeks after that date if refrigerated.
- Combine this with other tests to make sure.
💡 Pro Kitchen Advice:
Always crack your eggs into a separate bowl before mixing into any dish or batter. This avoids ruining a whole recipe with one bad egg!