Egg (Whole, Medium) Calories

Crack the egg into a separate bowl and smell it; a spoiled egg has a distinctly unpleasant odor. Discard eggs with cracked shells or unusual contents. A normal smell does not guarantee safety, so cook eggs thoroughly.

In the US and many other countries, eggs should be refrigerated; in some places they are sold unrefrigerated. Follow the storage conditions where you bought them, and once chilled, keep them cold in their carton rather than in the door.

An egg floats when its internal air pocket has grown as moisture escapes through the shell. Floating suggests the egg is older, but the test cannot confirm whether it is safe to eat; crack it separately and check for an off smell.

Yes, but not in their shells, which can crack as the contents expand. Crack the egg, beat the white and yolk together, and freeze it in a sealed container. Thaw it in the refrigerator and use it in cooked dishes.

No, shell color does not make an egg more nutritious. It mainly reflects the breed of hen that laid it; freshness, feed, and farming conditions are separate factors and cannot be judged by shell color alone.

Cool the hard-boiled egg in cold water, tap the shell all over, then peel it under running water. Starting at the wider end can help you get beneath the membrane, which often clings to the white.

Raw eggs are not risk-free because they can carry Salmonella. Cook eggs until both the white and yolk are firm, especially when serving young children, older adults, or anyone with a weakened immune system. Use pasteurized eggs in recipes that stay raw.

A green-gray ring forms when an egg is overcooked: sulfur in the white reacts with iron in the yolk. It is usually harmless, but shorter cooking followed by prompt cooling helps prevent the discoloration.

Eggs may crack when a cold shell meets hot water suddenly or when eggs knock against the pan. Start them in cool water and bring it to a boil gently; keeping them in a single layer also reduces collisions.