How to test egg freshness… How to tell if an egg is fresh or stale… How to store eggs… Should eggs be stored in the refrigerator? Food Engineer Ebru Akdağ answers all these questions…
Ebru Akdağ, Chair of the Information Pollution Commission of the Federation of Turkish Food and Beverage Industry Associations, explained how to distinguish between fresh and stale eggs, reminding that starting January 1, 2026, the phrase “Best Before Date (BBD)” will be replaced with “Recommended Consumption Date (RCD)” will be used instead of the “Best Before Date (BBD)” label on eggs, and explained how to distinguish between fresh and stale eggs.
Water test
Eggs naturally contain a small air pocket inside. Over time, this pocket grows as air enters through the porous shell.
A fresh egg sinks to the bottom of a glass filled with cold water and lies on its side.
An egg that is starting to lose its freshness may also sink to the bottom but will stand upright. It is still in good condition. If the egg floats in the water, it is no longer very fresh, but this does not necessarily mean it has gone bad. At this stage, we can crack the egg open to check if it smells or if the yolk is spreading.
Egg flashlight test
Turn on the flashlight and hold the egg with the pointed end facing up toward the light.
As the egg loses freshness, the air pocket inside grows larger.
Bonus info: If a fertilized egg has been incubated for 6 days, you may see thin, thread-like embryo structures inside — don’t be alarmed.
Is the egg fresh? The listening test
If you gently shake a fresh egg near your ear, you won’t hear any sound.
A stale egg, however, will make a slight gurgling sound because there is more space inside the shell for the contents to move around.
How to tell if an egg is stale: The yolk hold test
Crack the egg and place the yolk in your palm. Gently hold the egg yolk between two fingers. If the membrane doesn’t break, the egg is fresh.
How should eggs be stored?
Eggs should be stored in the refrigerator, away from strong-smelling foods such as onions and garlic, and in areas free from cleaning products.
Due to the small pores on the eggshell, external odors can seep into the egg.
