Eggs are a popular food staple thanks to their versatility. However, the good ol way of hard boiling eggs usually produces disappointing results when the egg cracks during cooking. The product has the egg white in varying odd shapes and some of its clumps in the cooking water. But aside from the strange appearance, there is the nagging question about its safety for consumption.
If your egg has broken into the boiling water, you should find strings formed from the leaked egg white into the water or clumps of the white on the egg shell. But, dont worry, the egg is still safe to eat as long as you hard boil them.
If the shell has a crack in it, the door is wide open for bacteria to seep in. For that reason, the CDC recommends avoiding eggs with cracked shells.
WHAT CAUSES EGGS TO CRACK DURING BOILING?
Eggs can break during boiling because of numerous reasons. The most common reason is that they were boiled at an intensity so high that they collided with each other or the pan, resulting in cracks. However, this is rarely seen in eggs from organically-fed chicken because they produce hard shelled eggs.
Another common reason eggs sometimes crack is because theyre cooked too quickly. Gases build up in the egg and without room for escape, they create one by causing the shells to crack. read more
CAN PATHOGENS ENTER THE EGGS THROUGH THE CRACK?
The major subject of concern here now is the safety of such cracked eggs for consumption due to the common presence of harmful bacteria on their shells.
They might not look like it because of the strange cos they take but such eggs are completely safe to eat. Thats because theyve been thoroughly heated, killing potentially harmful microbes on their surface.
Is it safe to eat a hard boiled egg that cracked while boiling?
FAQ
Can you still eat a cracked hard boiled egg?
Is it normal for hard-boiled eggs to crack?
Is it safe to eat overcooked hard-boiled eggs?
How long do cracked hard-boiled eggs last?
Can you eat boiled eggs if they crack?
In their report “Shell Eggs from Farm to Table,” they state that “if eggs crack while transporting them home from the store, the USDA advises breaking any cracked eggs into a clean container. Tightly cover the container and refrigerate it, using the eggs, within two days. If eggs crack during hard boiling, they are still safe to consume.”
Are hard boiled eggs beneficial for health?
Hard-boiled eggs are beneficial for health. They conserve all the eggs’ properties and nutrients. Hard-boiled eggs are healthier than fried eggs.
Is it safe to eat a cracked egg?
An egg that has cracked while boiling might not appear all that appetizing, but it is perfectly safe to eat! After all, we cook eggs without the shell all the time without any problems. When the egg white escapes from the shell it simply poaches in the simmering water.
Do eggs crack before boiling?
And, to be clear, we’re talking about eggs that crack DURING or shortly before boiling. Eggs with cracks of unknown vintage are another story. To avoid these free-form hardboileds, try this gentler method, which makes them less likely to knock into each other: put the eggs in a pot and cover with water, then bring to a boil.