Evaluating fresh and deteriorated eggs Opalka 1

Evaluating the quality and cooking time of fresh and deteriorated eggs in both raw and hard-

cooked states

Victoria Lee Opalka

NTR 211

February 22, 2018

Evaluating fresh and deteriorated eggs Opalka 2

Introduction

Eggs are versatile food products and serve as an essential component in cooking. Their

unique composition offers a variety of preparation techniques such as poached or baked and are

ingredients in many dishes such as custards and meringues (Walter & Beathard, 2015, p.85).

Their physical and chemical properties cause foods to foam, thicken, leaven, emulsify, and bind

(Brown, 2015, p. 251). Speaking of their composition, the egg yolk adds color to dishes such as

lemon meringue pie and has substantial fat content. The egg white, also known as the albumen,

is composed of a lot of different proteins that give dishes their structure; such as foams and

custards (Walter & Beathard, 2015, p. 85).

Even though eggs offer so many functions, their structural components begin to

deteriorate as soon as the egg is laid by the hen (Walter & Beathard, 2015, p. 85). This is due to

the porous nature of the shell which allows gas (carbon dioxide) exchange between the

environment and the inside of the egg (Brown, 2015, p. 252). In addition, moisture is lost

through the pores of the shell (Walter & Beathard, 2015, p. 85).

When cooking an egg, it is recommended to keep temperature low and the cooking time

short for optimal texture, color, and flavor (Brown, 2015, p. 260). However, at high temperatures

and long durations, a grey-green color develops on top of the egg yolk surface. This is the result

of hydrogen sulfide reacting with iron to form the black ferrous sulfide. Besides that, the egg

white shrinks and toughens, and the yolk’s texture becomes dry and tough. In addition,

increasing the pH of the egg promotes the ferrous sulfide production (Walter & Beathard, 2015,

p. 85).
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In this experiment, participants evaluated fresh and deteriorated egg qualities. This

included the egg white consistency, the height and location of the yolk, and the size of the air cell

in the shell. In addition, participants prepared hard-cooked fresh and deteriorated eggs for either

15 minutes or 60 minutes and evaluated several different characteristics which included color,

aroma, and location of yolk. The purpose of this experiment is to evaluate the differences in egg

quality of fresh and deteriorated eggs, and to determine the effects of cooking time (15 minutes

and 60 minutes) and degree of freshness of the hard-cooked eggs on various characteristics.

Methods

The experiment, procedure, and tables are from Walter and Beathard’s Understanding

Food Principles and Preparations lab manual. The specific unit that was performed in this

experiment was Unit 8- Eggs Sections A and B (2015, p. 85-88).

In experiment A, raw egg quality was evaluated. Every group received a fresh grade A

egg and a deteriorated grade A egg. Next, participants cracked each egg and evaluated the

consistency of the egg white, height and location of the yolk, and size of the air cell in the shell.

These observations were recorded in Table A-1.

In experiment B, hard-cooked eggs were evaluated with manipulations in cooking time

and degree of freshness. Even though there were four different variations listed, this was

modified in which groups performed three of the four variations. All groups performed variation

one and three, fresh egg and deteriorated egg, which were cooked for 15 minutes. However,

when it came to variation two and four, fresh egg and deteriorated egg for long cooking time (60

minutes), half the class was assigned variation two and the other half variation four. My group

was assigned variation two; fresh egg with long cooking time (60 minutes). Next, the basic
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preparation of the hard-cooked egg was followed from unit 8, section B. Another modification

included the addition of an ice bath that the hard-cooked eggs were placed in after their

preparation. Finally, each egg is evaluated for its color, aroma, and location of yolk. These

observations were recorded in Table B-1.

Results:

Table A-1 Evaluation of Egg Quality

Egg Type Consistency Height of the Location of Size of the Price per
of white yolk the yolk air cell in the dozen
shell
Fresh grade Firm, intact High egg Center of egg Small Not
A egg yolk white applicable
Deteriorated Flat, runny, Small, flat Off centered; Large Not
grade A egg no structure sides of egg applicable
white;
deteriorated
chalazae; not
anchored

The fresh grade A egg had prominent chalazae while the deteriorated grade A egg chalazae were

almost completely deteriorated.

Table B-1 Evaluation of Hard-Cooked Eggs

Degree of Cooking Time Color Aroma Location of

freshness (minutes) yolk
Fresh 15 Light yellow Light eggy; mild Centered in egg
yolk; ferrous yolk; anchored
sulfide ring well by chalazae
Fresh 60 Dark yellow Potent eggy Off centered;
yolk; more smell closer to air cell
prominent
formation of
ferrous ring
Deteriorated 15 Very dark Pungent eggy Below air cell;
yellow yolk; smell egg white
beginning to
Evaluating fresh and deteriorated eggs Opalka 5

ferrous sulfide disintegrate;

ring formation yolk coming
apart from egg
white
Deteriorated 60 Very little/pale Very pungent Yolk coming
color yolk; egg and off putting through air cell;
white cream eggy smell egg white
color; very deteriorating
prominent near air cell
ferrous sulfide
ring

The most notable result was the deterioration of the albumen near the air cell at both 15 minutes

and 60 minutes in the deteriorated egg.

Discussion

The evaluation of egg quality depends on many factors such as the freshness of the egg

and the cooking time. This was apparent in this experiment; especially between the fresh grade A

egg and the deteriorated grade A egg. Selecting fresh, and good quality eggs and keeping

cooking duration short will enhance the quality and appeal of hard-cooked eggs.

Experiment A distinguished the quality differences of a fresh grade A egg and a

deteriorated grade A egg. There were substantial differences between the two eggs. The fresh

egg had firm and intact egg whites while the deteriorated egg was runny and lacked structure.

The height of the yolk was tall in the fresh egg while it was flat in the deteriorated egg. Speaking

of the yolk, the yolk was in the center of the albumen (egg white) while in the deteriorated egg

the yolk was off centered and towards the side of the egg white. According to Brown, the

chalazae “…anchor the egg yolk in the thick egg white surrounding it. They also secure the yolk

to its vitelline membrane, so it stays neatly centered in the middle of the egg” (2015, p. 252).

Due to the deterioration of the chalazae in the deteriorated egg, this contributed to the off-
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centered yolk. In addition, the fresh egg had a small air cell in the shell while the deteriorated

egg’s air cell was large. The increase in the air cell is a characteristic of an older egg (Brown,

2015, p. 269). As the depth of the air cell increase, the deterioration process of the egg enhances

(Walter & Beathard, 2015, p. 101).

Experiment B results conveyed how the degree of freshness of hard-cooked eggs and the

cooking times resulted in varying differences of characteristics. Variation one, fresh egg cooked

for fifteen minutes, resulted in the least ferrous sulfide formation due to its degree of freshness

and short duration cooking time (Walter & Beathard, 2015, p. 101). In addition, the egg yolk was

a light color, there was a light eggy aroma, and the egg yolk was centered. Again, this was due to

the intact chalazae that kept the yolk centered and in place. However, when the fresh egg was

overcooked for 60 minutes, the yolk turned a dark yellow and resulted in a ferrous sulfide rings

around the egg yolk, the eggy aroma become more potent, and the yolk was slightly off-centered.

These results are consistent with expectations because overcooking causes the grey-green

discoloration in the egg yolk (Walter & Beathard, 2015, p. 85).

While on the other hand, the results for the deteriorated egg was different. When the

deteriorated egg was cooked for 15 minutes, the yolk was a very dark yellow with a presence of

the ferrous sulfide ring around the yellow, there was a pungent eggy aroma, and the yolk was

located right next to the air cell with some deterioration of the egg white. While at 60 minutes,

the yolk was a very pale yellow with a prominent ferrous sulfide ring around the yolk, the aroma

was the most pungent of all variations, and the yolk was right next to the air cell with

deterioration of the egg white present as well. These results met my expectations because due to

the carbon dioxide loss of the older eggs, this causes a rise in the pH. An increase in pH
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promotes ferrous sulfide production as well as deterioration of the egg (Walter & Beathard,

2015, p. 85).

Eggs can be prepared in a variety of ways. In addition, it has a unique chemical and

physical composition and is used as a reference protein. According to Brown, a reference protein

is “A standard against which to measure the quality of other proteins” (2015, p. 256). Eggs

contain all the necessary proteins to sustain life. Therefore, this high-quality protein in eggs is

used to rate all other foods. Besides being a great contributor to nutrition, eggs provide multiple

functions due to its composition that allows preparation methods to occur. The egg white and

yolk have different properties including their coagulation temperature. Egg whites start to

coagulate at 140 degrees Fahrenheit while the yolks start coagulating at 144 degrees Fahrenheit

(Brown, 2015, p. 260). This is an important food science property because the difference in

coagulation time allows whites to be firm but yet the yolk to be soft. The experiment conveyed

the importance of using fresh eggs and cooking eggs for short durations to meet optimal quality.

Therefore, as long as the eggs coagulate at these temperatures within the 15 minutes, then the

hard-cooked eggs will be both aesthetically and aromatically pleasing. In conclusion, this

experiment allowed participants to evaluate the quality of raw and hard-cooked eggs and the

differences in characteristics based off degree of freshness and cooking time.

References

Brown, A. (2015). Understanding Food Principles and Preparation. (5th ed.) Stanford, CT:

Cengage Learning.

Walter, J.M. & Beathard, K. (2015). Understanding Food Principles and Preparation Lab

Manual (5th ed.). Stanford, CT: Cengage Learning.