Eggs are probably one of the most essential foods that you can buy from the market. Whether you’re making dishes, baking cakes and cookies, when the recipe calls for eggs, they should be there. Eggs have been a part of my market list for years, and one thing that I make sure is that I buy only the quantity that I need because freshness is important. I know that eggs have a shorter shelf life and keeping more than what I need would be a waste of money once they get spoiled. Now, I’m getting to be a smart and wise consumer which I learned during these hard times.
When buying eggs, just like any other food items, I usually check on the expiration date. Sadly though, I can only find the “pack date”(or the equivalent of manufacturing date) and I’m not sure what it really means. Generally, eggs lose freshness or can get spoiled in a shorter period. That’s the reason why I check on the expiration date, although refrigeration can help extend the shelf life of eggs, it is already my habit. There are certainly the right things to do to keep eggs from getting spoiled. I’ve learned (from experts) that eggs in the container do not mature in the same manner at the same time. This must be the reason why only the “pack date”is available on containers because putting an expiration date wouldn’t be accurate, unlike canned or processed food products.
Refrigerating eggs at 40 degrees Fahrenheit is a good way to prevent early spoilage. By doing so, you’ll be looking at three to five weeks (after pack date), of good egg quality. However, leaving eggs at room temperature can make your eggs a little low in quality compared to refrigerated eggs, lasting at about two to three weeks maximum. Eggs do not have preservatives which are generally found in many food products. Simply put, they don’t last long. They come fresh from egg farms. At least for now, we are assured that there are no eggs that come from genetically modified chicken, according to the FDA.
There are ways of knowing if the egg is good or not and certainly, practice can make you an expert on this. Some say, a good egg is a bit transparent when it is subjected to light. So, you need to have good eyesight if you are doing this test. Another test is, when you submerge it in cold water, a good egg goes right down to the bottom part of the container. If it floats, then get rid of it. This test works well as you need to clean the eggs before storing them in the fridge.
When I am about to work on the egg, I would follow the general rule of cracking it open in a clean bowl or container. A good one has the yolk intact (round), and does not have a stinky smell. Bad eggs usually emit a repulsive odor that can throw you out.
Eggs are very versatile that they are used in so many ways. Boiled or fried for a simple meal, make fluffy results for your cakes and pastries or garnishing. Eggs are even used in grade school experiments to explain buoyancy. Fresh and good eggs only, please. Eggs make up a great part of eating healthy and living healthy, where the quality of egg is a top concern.
So what are you waiting for? Crack open that dozen and make some Oeufs En Meurette.