How to Tell if Eggs are Fresh

How to Tell If Eggs Are Fresh

I regularly get phone calls about the freshness of eggs.  The easiest way to tell if eggs are fresh is by checking the Best Before Date on the egg carton.  This date is often found on the end of the carton. Typically eggs can be kept two to three weeks beyond the date on the carton.  Be sure to store eggs in the carton, so you can keep track of the date.  Other tips include:
 

·        Grade A eggs have a firm white, a small air cell at the wide end a centered yolk.

·         A fresh egg will sink in water while an older egg will float.  As an egg ages, the size of the air cell inside increases, causing it to float.

·         In a fresh egg, the yolk sits up high and the white is thick and closely surrounds the yolk.  An older egg has a flat yolk that breaks easily and a thick, watery white.