How to Tell If Eggs Are Bad: 4 Ways

Eggs are one of the most useful foods in the fridge: breakfast hero, baking glue, late-night omelet therapist.
Unfortunately, they’re also one of the easiest foods to forget about until you’re holding a carton like,
“Were you here before I learned how to drive?”

The good news: you don’t need a lab coat to figure out whether eggs are still safe. You just need a few
simple checksand a willingness to accept that sometimes the safest answer is “trash can, you’re up.”
Below are four reliable ways to tell if eggs are bad, plus storage tips and real-world scenarios that’ll
make you feel seen.

Before the tests: “Bad” eggs vs “Old” eggs (not the same thing)

Here’s the part most people miss: an egg can be old without being spoiled.
Over time, eggs lose qualitywhites get thinner, yolks sit flatter, and your sunny-side-up looks more like
a sleepy-side-up. That’s freshness. Spoilage is different: it’s when the egg has changed in a way that
makes it unsafe or downright disgusting.

Dates on the carton help, but they’re mostly about quality and inventory management. Proper refrigeration
matters more than the printed date. If eggs have been stored consistently cold in your fridge, they often
remain usable beyond the “sell-by” or “best-by” date. If they’ve been bouncing between warm and cold (hello,
car trunk grocery run), all bets are off.

Way #1: Check the carton like a detective (pack date + storage time)

If you want the least messy test, start with the carton. This method won’t “prove” an egg is perfect, but
it’s a smart first filterespecially if you’re meal-prepping or baking something where one bad egg could
ruin the whole batch.

Step 1: Find the pack date (often a 3-digit code)

Many egg cartons (especially USDA-graded) include a three-digit “pack date” (also called a Julian date)
that runs from 001 (January 1) through 365 (December 31). It tells you
the day of the year the eggs were packaged. Think of it as the egg’s birthday, but with less confetti and
more breakfast potential.

Step 2: Understand “sell-by,” “exp,” and “best-by” dates

A sell-by date is mainly for stores. A best-by or similar date usually
indicates peak quality, not a hard safety deadline. Eggs can still be fine after these dates if they’ve
been handled properly.

Step 3: Use the real-life fridge window

A common guideline for refrigerated shell eggs is roughly 3–5 weeks in the refrigerator.
That doesn’t mean every egg becomes a villain on day 36; it means quality declines and risk management
becomes more important. If your carton is older than that window (or you truly have no clue), move on to
the next tests.

Quick takeaway: Dates help you guess age. They don’t replace your senses.

Way #2: Inspect the shell and carton (the “don’t invite chaos” test)

Before you crack anything, give the eggs and carton a quick inspection. Spoilage and contamination often
leave clues on the outside firstand the shell is your egg’s tiny suit of armor. If it’s compromised,
safety gets complicated.

Look for cracks, leaks, or sticky residue

• Cracks: If an egg is cracked in the store, skip it. Cracks can allow bacteria to enter.
• Leaks: If you see dried egg on the shell or carton, treat it as a red flag.
• Sticky film: A tacky or slimy feel can signal contamination or spoilage.

Watch for mold or powdery spots

Any visible mold on the shell means the egg should be discarded. Mold can spread in ways you can’t see,
and “maybe it’s just flour” is not a thrilling kitchen gamble.

Check the carton smell and the “mystery liquid” situation

Open the carton and take a gentle whiff. If you smell something off before cracking a single egg, you may
have a problem in the group. Also look for liquid in the bottom of the cartonespecially if you can’t
tell which egg leaked. When in doubt, toss the questionable ones and sanitize the area.

Way #3: Crack-and-sniff (the most reliable home test)

If there’s one method that deserves the “most trustworthy” crown at home, it’s this one. Spoiled eggs
tend to announce themselves loudly once opened. And by “loudly,” we mean “your nose files a formal complaint.”

Use the “separate bowl” rule

Always crack eggs one at a time into a small bowl before adding them to a recipe.
This protects your pancake batter, your cake, and your reputation. If an egg is bad, you can discard it
without sacrificing the whole mixing bowl.

What a normal raw egg should look like

• White (albumen): Clear to slightly cloudy. Older eggs often have thinner whites.
• Yolk: Rounded and intact (though older yolks may sit flatter).
• Overall: No suspicious colors, no weird chunks, no “why is this shimmering?” moments.

Red flags that strongly suggest spoilage

• Foul odor: A rotten, sulfur-like smell is the classic sign. If it stinks, it’s done.
• Unusual discoloration: Pink, green, or iridescent tones can indicate bacterial growth.
• Odd texture: Extremely watery whites alone can mean “old,” but sliminess or clumping is concerning.
• Shell fragments + gunk: If it looks contaminated, don’t negotiate with it.

Important note: not all harmful bacteria create a smell or visible change. That’s why proper refrigeration
and cooking matter. But if an egg smells bad, you’ve got an easy decision: discard it.

Way #4: The float test (use it for age, not as a courtroom verdict)

The float test is famous. It’s also widely misunderstood. Think of it as a freshness/age indicator, not a
guaranteed “spoiled vs safe” detector.

Why eggs float

Eggshells are porous. Over time, moisture and carbon dioxide leave the egg, and air replaces them,
enlarging the air cell inside. More air = more buoyancy. So older eggs tend to float more.

How to do the float test safely

1. Fill a bowl with cold water (enough to fully submerge the egg).
2. Gently lower the egg in.
3. Watch how it behavesthen dry it off if you plan to crack it next.

How to interpret the results (practical, not dramatic)

• Sinks and lies flat: Very fresh.
• Sinks but stands upright: Older, but often still usable (especially for hard-boiling).
• Floats: Poor quality and likely quite old. Treat as suspiciouscrack into a separate bowl and sniff. Many people choose to discard floating eggs to be safe.

Bottom line: if an egg floats, it’s telling you it’s aged. Your nose and eyes still get the final vote.

Bonus: How to tell if hard-boiled eggs are bad

Hard-boiled eggs are convenient… until you find one in the back of the fridge like a forgotten science project.
For safety and quality, hard-cooked eggs are generally best eaten within about one week
when refrigerated.

• Smell test still rules: A strong unpleasant odor is a discard signal.
• Texture clues: Slimy, unusually mushy, or “wet” surfaces (beyond normal condensation) can be concerning.
• Peel-check: If you peel it and it looks weird or smells off, don’t talk yourself into it.

Smart egg safety habits (so you don’t have to play egg roulette)

These habits won’t just help you tell if eggs are badthey’ll help prevent them from becoming bad in the
first place.

Store eggs the boring (correct) way

• Keep eggs refrigerated at a consistently cold temperature.
• Store in the original carton (it protects eggs and helps reduce odor absorption).
• Use a middle or lower shelf rather than the refrigerator door, where temps fluctuate.
• Don’t wash eggs for storage: moisture can encourage bacteria movement through the shell.

Handle eggs like they matter (because they do)

• Wash hands after touching raw eggs and shells.
• Don’t let raw egg touch ready-to-eat foods.
• Cook egg dishes thoroughly, especially for people at higher risk from foodborne illness.

FAQ: Quick answers people actually need

Can I eat eggs past the sell-by or best-by date?

Often, yesif they’ve been properly refrigerated and pass the crack-and-sniff / visual checks.
Dates are useful, but storage and condition matter more.

Is a watery egg white automatically a bad egg?

Not automatically. Thin whites are common in older eggs. If there’s no off odor and no unusual appearance,
the egg may be finejust not peak freshness.

Can I freeze eggs?

You generally shouldn’t freeze eggs in their shells. If you need to freeze, crack them first and freeze
(for example, lightly beaten whole eggs or separated whites/yolks) in a sealed container.

Should I taste an egg to see if it’s bad?

No. Don’t taste raw or questionable eggs as a “test.” Use the methods above and when in doubt, discard.

Real-World Experiences: Egg Edition (extra stories and situations)

In real kitchens, egg decisions rarely happen under calm, well-lit conditions with a clipboard and a gentle breeze.
They happen at 6:42 a.m. when you’re late, hungry, and negotiating with your toaster like it’s a coworker.
That’s why “How to tell if eggs are bad” becomes less of a cooking question and more of a life skill.

A common scenario: someone buys two cartons because eggs were on sale, then immediately forgets they did that.
Three weeks later, the older carton is still sitting therequietly agingwhile the newer carton gets all the attention.
This is where the carton detective method helps. People often discover the pack date and suddenly realize
they’ve been living with eggs old enough to have strong opinions about music.

Another classic moment is the “float test misunderstanding.” Many home cooks drop an egg in water, see it stand upright,
and panic like it just texted “we need to talk.” But upright doesn’t automatically mean “spoiled”it often means “older.”
In practice, those eggs are frequently perfect for hard-boiling because slightly older eggs can peel more easily.
So instead of tossing them, people pivot: egg salad, deviled eggs, or meal-prep protein for the week.
The float test works best as a planning tool: “Use these soon,” not “Call the authorities.”

Then there’s the baking catastrophe everyone tries to avoid: cracking a bad egg directly into the mixing bowl.
It’s the culinary version of dropping your phone face-down on concrete. That’s why experienced bakers swear by the
“separate bowl” rule. People who follow it talk about how it saved birthday cakes, holiday cookies,
and their will to live during a Sunday meal-prep marathon.

Some experiences are less dramatic but super common: you crack an egg and the white seems thinner than you remember.
Many cooks assume “thin = bad,” but it’s often just age. The egg may still smell normal and look normal,
so it becomes an omelet egg instead of a “perfect poached egg for Instagram” egg. That’s not failure; it’s
smart kitchen triage.

And finally, the hard-boiled egg mystery. People meal-prep a batch, toss them in the fridge, and a week later
one egg starts to look or feel… off. The moment a hard-boiled egg smells weird, turns slimy, or seems unusually mushy,
most cooks learn the fastest food rule there is: throwing one egg away is cheaper than losing your whole day to regret.
The result is a calmer kitchen habit: label the container, keep the fridge cold, and treat eggs like the
useful (but slightly dramatic) ingredient they are.

Conclusion

If you remember nothing else, remember this: smell and appearance after cracking are your strongest at-home clues.
Dates and float tests are helpful, but they’re supporting charactersnot the lead detectives.
Store eggs cold, keep them in the carton on a stable fridge shelf, crack into a separate bowl, and trust your senses.
And when an egg gives you a reason to doubt it? Let it go. Your breakfast will survive without the suspense.