# Any idea why this happened? (boiling eggs)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-idea-why-this-happened-boiling-eggs/809861>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 2, 2018, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-idea-why-this-happened-boiling-eggs/809861 "2018-03-02T00:46:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-idea-why-this-happened-boiling-eggs/809861/1 "2018-03-02T00:46:37Z")

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I bought some reasonably fresh eggs last week and boiled them today. When I peeled them they smelled strongly of sulfur. Any ideas?

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**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-idea-why-this-happened-boiling-eggs/809861/2 "2018-03-02T00:51:52Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Perhaps the most common problem with hard-boiled eggs is overcooking…There is frequently the odor of sulfur. This is due to a reaction between traces of iron in the yolk and sulfur in the white.

> **[Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs: As Easy as Boiling Water](https://www.latimes.com/food/la-fo-how-to-hard-boil-eggs-story.html)**
>
> You'll find hard-boiled eggs in many composed salads.