Chicken eggs are a familiar, nutritious food commonly used in daily meals. However, not all eggs guarantee freshness and quality. Eggs stored for too long or improperly can deteriorate, even spoil, affecting their flavor and consumer health. Fortunately, you can assess an egg's freshness before cooking through simple checks using your eyes, ears, and nose, without cracking it open.
First, observe the shell's shape, color, and surface. Fresh, good-quality chicken eggs typically have intact shells, bright colors, a slightly rough surface, and a powdery bloom. However, for processed or industrially packaged eggs, this natural bloom may be absent. Conversely, eggs with cracked, dented, or bruised shells, or those with egg white leaking out, should be noted. If unusual stains, resembling mold, appear on the shell, they should not be used.
Additionally, when holding and gently swirling an egg in your hand, fresh eggs usually feel firm, with no sensation of the yolk and white being loose or moving vigorously inside. In older eggs, the contents may become looser, so a gentle shake will reveal noticeable movement.
You can further check an egg's freshness by holding two eggs and gently tapping them together or shaking them lightly. Fresh eggs typically produce a sharp, solid sound when tapped and almost no sound when shaken. In contrast, older eggs may emit a hollow sound or slight sloshing when shaken, as the yolk and white inside become looser and create more space. However, this sound test is only indicative. Do not tap too hard, as it could crack the shell.
Smell can also help determine an egg's quality. Bring the egg close to your nose and gently smell the shell. Fresh eggs usually have no unusual odor; if any scent is detectable, it is typically a faint, characteristic smell of the shell. Poor quality eggs may have a musty or unusual smell. If an egg has a sour, rotten, or distinctly foul odor, it should not be used.
In addition to observing and checking an egg's freshness, consumers should buy eggs from reputable stores, supermarkets, or suppliers with clear origins and proper storage.
Traditional Medicine Doctor Bui Dac Sang
Scientific Researcher at the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology
Hanoi Association of Traditional Medicine
