# I need to worry about spoiled eggs, really? Is it possible to eat a bad egg without realizing it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 26, 2016, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-worry-about-spoiled-eggs-really-is-it-possible-to-eat-a-bad-egg-without-realizing-it/744303 "2016-01-26T21:18:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-worry-about-spoiled-eggs-really-is-it-possible-to-eat-a-bad-egg-without-realizing-it/744303/21 "2016-01-27T04:40:09Z")
In my experience bad eggs sing [“I want it now”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRTkCHE1sS4) before you throw them down the garbage chute. > [@Sam\_Lowry](#): > > I’d read before about putting eggs in water to see if they sink or float to see if they are good or bad, [but apparently that’s not a valid test](http://www.safebee.com/food/how-tell-if-egg-bad). But that same link does say this: That guideline seems to be somewhat true in my experience: I’ve never had a new egg that floats, while older eggs are more likely to do so. Also, “middle aged” eggs will sort of float, but not burst straight to the surface. All this tells you is which ones in a mixed batch are older and should be eaten first. If an egg starts to float, it probably has weeks before it indeed goes “bad,” i.e. rotten, so in that sense it’s not a test for bad eggs. No, I’ve never gotten an actually bad one unless it was obviously cracked or something. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-worry-about-spoiled-eggs-really-is-it-possible-to-eat-a-bad-egg-without-realizing-it/744303/22 "2016-01-27T18:56:18Z")
I suspect the ones that float do so because they have lost water content thru evaporation thru the porous shell, which is then replaced by air. No indication that it’s bad, just that it’s not fresh. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-worry-about-spoiled-eggs-really-is-it-possible-to-eat-a-bad-egg-without-realizing-it/744303/23 "2016-01-27T19:20:12Z")
Trust me, you’ll know when an egg is rotten. That’s a smell that cannot be described. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-worry-about-spoiled-eggs-really-is-it-possible-to-eat-a-bad-egg-without-realizing-it/744303/24 "2016-01-27T19:22:03Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > I suspect the ones that float do so because they have lost water content thru evaporation thru the porous shell, which is then replaced by air. No indication that it’s bad, just that it’s not fresh. As an egg gets older the air cell does indeed get bigger. The size of the air cell determines the grade of the egg (AA, A, B, etc). Although my boss always said there is no such thing as a grade AA egg. ---
**Author:** ![Waltzes\_with\_Cacti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90ced4/32.png) [@Waltzes\_with\_Cacti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waltzes_with_Cacti)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-worry-about-spoiled-eggs-really-is-it-possible-to-eat-a-bad-egg-without-realizing-it/744303/25 "2016-01-27T20:33:24Z")
This brings to mind a late-19th century meme, the curate’s egg: > **[Curate's egg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curate%27s_egg)** > > A "curate's egg" is something described as partly bad and partly good. In its original usage, it referred to something that is obviously and entirely bad, but is described out of politeness as nonetheless having good features that redeem it. This meaning has been largely supplanted by its less ironic modern usage, which refers to something that is in fact an indeterminate mix of good and bad, possibly with a preponderance of bad qualities. > The expression is pre-dated by an anecdote in Our Bishop... ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2016, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-worry-about-spoiled-eggs-really-is-it-possible-to-eat-a-bad-egg-without-realizing-it/744303/26 "2016-01-27T20:45:13Z")
Many years ago, there was this lady who lived across the street from me. She was really mean and nasty - a bad egg if ever there was one. I tried several times to get real friendly with her. But she was having none of it. So, I cannot answer your question. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![HeXen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@HeXen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeXen)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-worry-about-spoiled-eggs-really-is-it-possible-to-eat-a-bad-egg-without-realizing-it/744303/27 "2016-01-28T00:31:09Z")
I dated a farm girl and their family never even put eggs in the fridge. Didn’t know you could do that before then. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-worry-about-spoiled-eggs-really-is-it-possible-to-eat-a-bad-egg-without-realizing-it/744303.md?page=1)