Eating Cracked Eggs
I bought a carton of eggs about 5 days ago. One of them had a small dent (no seeping) but I didn't notice it until a few days ago, so I'm not sure if it was there when I bought them.
I figured it would be okay to bake with, so I made some cookies, but then, like an idiot, forgetting about the cracked egg, I took a little taste of the batter. At this point, if I'm going to get salmonella, it's probably too late to do anything (oh man do I hope I'm okay, especially since I have to fly across the Atlantic tomorrow!) but for future reference, what's the rule on cracked eggs? Are they okay if they're not seeping liquid, or should I toss them at any sign of a hairline crack?
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12 Comments:
You're probably fine. If the membrane wasn't punctured, there should be nothing to worry about.
soozm32 at 11:50AM on 06/04/09
OH was born and raised on a farm and is just retired from a career as a Microbiologist - I can't tell you how many times he pooh-poohed things like cracked eggs, moldy cheese or a bit on a piece of bread, sterilizing kid's bottles, eating products that have passed the "best by" stage - we are alive and well and healthy, but still I find I am apprehensive to this day.
bareneed at 11:57AM on 06/04/09
Yea, I've always been a "lick the batter" kind of girl....hubby is horrified at the notion. I'm still alive and never gotten salmonella...even when I used cracked eggs to cook or bake with.
arm1970 at 12:01PM on 06/04/09
I eat raw eggs almost daily. When I find one that's cracked, I toss 'em. Since I eat them raw and often a month after I have purchased them, ironically, I prefer to be safe than sorry on that end...
Cassaendra at 12:04PM on 06/04/09
Lose 'em
bessfour at 2:31PM on 06/04/09
If in doubt, I wouldn't.
CJ McD at 2:50PM on 06/04/09
As the owner of a bakery once told me: when in doubt, throw it out.
meem21 at 3:03PM on 06/04/09
My grandparents used to buy cracked eggs cause they were cheaper. It's one of the things my grandfather used to talk about being so different now.
Your grocery store bakery is probably the number one user of those cracked eggs rejected from the egg cartons. As long as they don't leak they are fine.
joeqboo at 3:11PM on 06/04/09
I had a bout with salmonella a few years ago (Caesar salad) - I ended up in the emergency room (fainting and dehydration) and sick in bed for a week. Don't risk it.
MMinNYC at 3:20PM on 06/04/09
I toss them.
pjracz10 at 10:49PM on 06/04/09
hairline cracks are fine... eggs breath... if you don't believe me try this.
get a black truffle and store it in a tupperware container filled with white rice for about a week in the fridge, take the truffle out and replace it with an egg for another week in the fridge. Cook the egg lightly scrambled and serve with champagne to your other half as part of a romantic breakfast in bed.... the egg picks up the flavor of the black truffle!
Pavlov at 5:59AM on 06/05/09
@Pavlov - I'll run right out and get that black truffle from my backyard to try in your experiment. ; )
arm1970 at 8:50AM on 06/05/09