5 ways to tell if an egg is fresh or rotten

5.Use the mirage technique

Candling is a technique for assessing egg quality or chick development in a fertilized egg.

Generally, this technique is carried out in the industrial environment using specialized equipment allowing table eggs to be classified before labeling and packaging them.

But you can still do the method at home, if you want. To do this, you need a cool place with little light.

Have a light source like a candle or a small flashlight. Hold the light source towards the end of the egg then tilt the egg and turn it from left to right. The contents of the egg should be visible.

This technique allows you to see if the air bubble is small or large. As the egg ages, the water evaporates and is replaced by gases. Thus, the larger the air pocket becomes, the more the egg is aged.

Can we eat food after its expiration date?

Some foods can be consumed several days after the expiration date stated on the package. However, a person who consumes raw fish, eggs or even expired meat takes health risks.

Although we are all against food waste, it is necessary to carefully check the packaging of the products we buy in supermarkets to ensure that their consumption is safe. In fact, passing the expiration date of a perishable product exposes you to various illnesses.

Here is a list of foods that can be consumed after the expiration date, relayed by our colleagues at Femme Actuelle:

Foods that never expire:

Certain foods like real honey which has many health benefits, salt, sugar or even vinegar never expire and can be kept forever.

Foods that do not expire, except in certain cases:

Cans, rice, pasta, cornstarch, flour, cereals or even dried vegetables can remain intact well after the marked expiration date on the packaging. However, these products can be infested with food moths and undergo spoilage.

Foods that can be consumed after the expiration date

Mustard, ketchup, pickles or even spices can be stored and consumed well after the expiration date. In reality, the expiration dates of these foods may have passed. However, their taste can change over time.

Other foods that can be consumed after the expiration date include dairy products such as crème fraîche, cheese, milk and yogurt. These, if unopened, can be consumed one to two weeks after the date mentioned.

To know if they are good, check the packaging. If it has swollen, potentially dangerous bacteria has developed and it is best to throw the products away. In addition, a pungent, acidic smell may indicate that they have gone bad.

Furthermore, frozen products can be consumed after the date mentioned on the packaging, if the cold chain has been respected. If stored properly, raw fish can be kept for 6 to 9 months past the expiration date. For poultry and fruits and vegetables, the period extends to one year. However, frozen meals keep less well than packaged products.

Foods you should definitely not eat after the expiration date

Bacteria are more likely to reside in particular foods. This is the case for vacuum-packed raw meats, eggs and fish as well as cold meats.

Therefore, to protect your health and avoid a potential food infection, you must scrupulously trust the expiration date mentioned in these foods.

Additionally, if the packaging swells, this may indicate that bacteria such as salmonella, listeria or escherichia coli are proliferating in the food. Additionally, if you open these bacteria-contaminated products, you will observe a gelatinous appearance and notice an off-putting odor.

Furthermore, fresh fruit juices can contain bacteria if you do not respect the expiration date, as can raw milk cheeses. And for good reason, fresh cheeses are vulnerable to bacteria and it is necessary to pay attention to any suspicious color and odor.

Finally, salads sold in bags may contain bacteria. In this sense, it is essential to respect the expiration date displayed on the packaging.