How to tell if an egg is bad in water

If your egg floats, you'll want to do a little more investigation to determine if it's safe to eat. Eating rotten eggs could cause digestive issues, vomiting, or a fever (via WebMD).

So before you crack the floater directly into the frying pan, grab a bowl to more closely inspect it.

The first indicator that an egg has gone bad is the smell.

Egg float test

Egg float test

If an egg floats in cold water is it bad

Can you eat boiled eggs that float

Floating eggs when boiling

How to tell if eggs are bad after cracking

Fresh eggs will be totally odorless. Egg whites contain sulfur compounds, which can become unpleasantly pungent over time as the egg degrades. In extreme cases, the foul smell might even be noticeable prior to cracking the egg open.

Color can also play a role in determining an egg's freshness. A fresh egg yolk will appear bright and yellow or orange while a spoiled one may be more muted in color.

Egg sinks but stands up

Rotten egg whites may turn pearly, green, or pinkish, rather than the standard clear or cloudy white.

But that doesn't mean every change in coloration is a reason to toss the eggs, either. Blood spots, for example, are small red spots on the egg's yolk.

They're caused by broken blood vessels, but

do fresh eggs float

do fresh eggs float in water