NTR 211

Kileigh Chapman
3/1/16

The Effect of Age and Cooking Time on the Deterioration and Appearance of Eggs
Introduction
Eggs are a very versatile food. Eggs can be poached, baked, scrambled, boiled, and fried.
They can also be used as an ingredient in omelets, meringues, custards, souffls, and other foods.
In different recipes the eggs function as a thickener, emulsifier, binder, or for foaming (Walter &
Beathard, 2015).
Within the egg there is the egg yolks and egg whites. Egg yolks are the yellow portion of
the egg that gives the egg its color, flavor, fat, and nutrients. The egg yolk makes up about 30%
of the egg (Brown, 2015). Surrounding the egg yolk is a vitelline membrane that holds it together
and is attached to the chalazae. The egg white or the albumin is the portion that contains mostly
protein and water and stabilizes foods when mixed in. This portion makes up about 58% of the
egg (Brown, 2015). There are two layers of the albumin. Also within the egg is two chalazae that
are rope looking structures that anchor the egg yolk to the thick portion of the albumin. The shell
makes up the other 12% and is mostly made of calcium carbonate (Brown, 2015). Between the
albumin membrane and the shell membrane is a space called an air cell. Lastly there is a cuticle
or waxy portion on the outer portion of the shell. This prevents bacteria from entering the egg
and moisture from leaving the egg.
Deterioration of the egg begins as soon as it is laid. They also lose quality quickly at
room temperature. Moisture and carbon dioxide are lost through the pores of the shell (Brown,

2015). This affects the pH level. Fresh eggs will have a lower pH around 7.6 and older eggs will
have a higher pH around 9 (Walter & Beathard, 2015). This is because when carbon dioxide is
lost the pH becomes more basic. With aged eggs the chalazae start to deteriorate, protein changes
cause egg whites to thin, the vitelline membrane weakens and the egg yolk migrates or breaks.
The size of the air cell will also determine the freshness of an egg. The older egg that has loss
moisture and carbon dioxide will have a larger air cell (Brown, 2015).
Cooking eggs for too long will also affect the appearance of the egg. Hard boiling eggs
for too long or at too high of a temperature will cause a grey or green colored ring around the
yolk from the sulfur in the egg. The egg whites contain sulfur in the form of hydrogen sulfide
gas. When eggs are over cooked or under the high pressure of boiling the gas will move from the
egg white to the egg yolk combining with the iron in the egg yolk. This chemical reaction forms
the ferrous sulfur ring in the egg yolk (Brown, 2015). An older egg that already has a high pH
will promote the ferrous sulfide production even further (Walter & Beathard, 2015).
The purpose of this lab was to study the differences in the egg quality of a fresh grade A
egg and a deteriorated grade A egg. In the first test the eggs quality was to be tested by simply
breaking the raw egg and observing. The objective was to compare the quality characteristics in
the fresh raw egg compared to the deteriorated raw egg. In the second test the differences were
tested by boiling the eggs for a short period of time and a longer period of time. The purpose was
to observe the different characteristics between the aged and fresh boiled eggs, determine the
standard method for preparing hard-cooked eggs, and to determine the factors involved in the
ferrous sulfide ring.

Methods
The first experiment was the evaluation of the quality of raw eggs. The first step was to
obtain a one fresh grade A egg and one deteriorated grade A egg that has been held at room
temperature for at least one week. The deteriorated grade A eggs for this lab were held at room
temperature for about one month. On a flat plate the fresh egg was broken first. Caution was
taken to not damage the egg and the shell was saved to for later observing. Observation of the
consistency of the thick and thin egg white were taken and recorded in the table. Then the yolk
was observed for height and location of the yolk within the egg white and observations recorded
in the table. The chalazae were then looked at next and recorded. Next the size of the air cell in
the large blunt end of the egg shell was observed and results record in the table. Using a
deteriorated egg, the previous steps were repeated and recorded in the table.
The next experiment was the hard cooking of fresh eggs and deteriorated eggs. The first
step was to obtain two fresh grade A eggs and two deteriorated grade A eggs. The deteriorated
eggs were marked with an X with a marker to distinguish between the eggs. The next step was
to obtain two sauce pans and fill each saucepan with two cups of cool tap water. Using a spoon
one fresh grade A egg and one marked deteriorated grade A egg was placed into each saucepan.
More tap water was added to the saucepans if the eggs were not completely covered. Over high
heat both saucepans were brought to a full boil. When the water was boiling the pans were
covered with a lid. One of the pans was removed from the heat and sat for 15 minutes. The other
pan was to be reduced to a low heat and cooked for 60 minutes. An ice bath was created by
putting ice and tap water in a bowl. When the 15 minutes was up on the timer the eggs were
removed from the pan with a slotted spoon and placed in the ice bath for a few minutes. The
fresh egg was peeled and cut in half lengthwise. The color, aroma, and location of the yolk were

observed and recorded in the table. The deteriorated egg was then peeled and cut in half
lengthwise. The same observations as the fresh egg were observed and recorded in the table.
When 60 minutes was done on the timer the eggs were removed from the other saucepan with a
slotted spoon and placed in the ice bath. The fresh egg was peeled first and cut lengthwise. The
color, aroma, and location of the yolk were observed and recorded in the table. Finally, the
deteriorated egg was peeled and cut lengthwise. The color, aroma, and location of the yolk were
observed and recorded in the table.
Results
Table 1- Evaluation of Egg Quality
Egg Type

Consistency

Height of the

Location of

Size of the

Appearance

of Egg White

Egg Yolk

the Yolk

air cell in the

of Chalazae

shell
Small

2 Chalazae

Large

1 Chalaza

Fresh Grade

2 layers of

High,

Centered,

A Egg

albumin,

medium

contained in

Deteriorated

thick
1 layer of

diameter
Flat, large

egg white
Off centered,

Grade A Egg

albumin,

diameter

not contained

thin, runny

in layer of
egg white

As shown in Table 1, the Fresh grade A eggs consistency of the egg white was thick and
had two distinct layers of albumin. The height of the egg yolk was high and the diameter was a
medium size. The yolk was also centered and contained within the layers of the egg white. There
were two chalazae attached to the egg yolk keeping the yolk contained. The size of the air cell in

the shell was small. The deteriorated Grade A egg had only one layer of albumin and it was thin
and runny. The height of the yolk was flat and it was large in diameter. The location of the yolk
was off centered and not contained within the layer of the egg white. The size of the air cell in
the shell was large. There was only 1 chalaza visible in the deteriorated egg.
Table 2- Evaluation of Hard-Cooked Eggs
Degree of

Cooking Time

Color

Aroma

Location of

Size of Air

Freshness
Fresh

(minutes)
15

Yellow yolk,

Fresh

the Yolk
Centered

cell
Small air

bright white
Fresh

60

albumin
Yellow yolk

cell
Sulfur

Centered

Thin green

Small air
cell

ring
White
Deteriorated

15

albumin
Greyish
yellow yolk

Rotten/Sulfur Off center,

bottom of egg

Large air
cell

Green/Grey
thick
ring/white
Deteriorated

60

albumin
Thick green
ring
Grey/yellow
yolk

Rotten/Sulfur Bottom of egg Large air

cell

Grey albumin

As shown in table two the fresh egg that was cooked for only 15 minutes had a bright
yellow yolk and bright white albumin. The aroma was fresh. The location of the egg yolk was
centered and the air cell in the peeled shell was small. The fresh egg that was cooked for 60
minutes had white albumin and had a thin green ring around the yellow egg yolk. The aroma
smelt of sulfur. The location of the egg yolk was still centered and the size of the air cell was
small. The deteriorated egg that was cooked for 15 minutes had a greyish/yellow yolk with a
thick greenish grey ring around the yolk. The egg white still appeared white. The aroma smelt
rotten and of sulfur. The location of the yolk was off centered and at the bottom of the egg. The
air cell was large. The deteriorated egg that was cooked for 60 minutes had a thick green ring
around the greyish yellow yolk. The albumin was no longer white and was grey. The aroma was
rotten and smelt like sulfur. The location of the yolk was off centered and pushed to the bottom
of the egg. The air cell in the peeled shell was large.

Discussion
The differences in storage of eggs resulted in major differences in the quality and
appearance of raw eggs. The eggs that were properly stored in the refrigerator had great qualities.
The albumin had retained its consistency and layers. There was a distinct thick layer and a
smaller thin layer. The height of the yolk was pleasantly high and contained within the vitelline
membrane. There were two chalazae still intact keeping the egg yolk centered within the
albumin. The air cell in the shell appeared small. The deteriorated grade A egg had poor qualities.

When cracked open the deteriorated egg only had one layer of albumin that was thin and runny.
The yolk was flat and had a large diameter. The yolk broke easily because the vitelline
membrane was thin. There was also only one chalaza so the yolk was off centered and not held in
place. The air cell was large indicating the egg had lost moisture and carbon dioxide through the
porous shell (Brown, 2015). Eggs will age more in 1 day at room temperature than in 1 week in
the refrigerator (Brown, 2015). This explains the drastic differences in the fresh raw egg
compared to the aged raw egg.
Cooking time caused differences not only between the fresh egg and the deteriorated egg,
but also between the 15-minute cooked fresh egg and the 60-minute cooked fresh egg. The fresh
egg that was only cooked for 15 minutes had no sulfur smell and was a bright white outer layer
with a bright yellow yolk. The yolk was also centered. The fresh egg that was cooked for 60
minutes had a thin green ring between the white outer layer and the yellow yolk. It also smelled
of sulfur. This difference is explained by the fact that when eggs are overcooked the hydrogen
sulfide gas in the egg white will move to the yolk combining with the iron in the yolk to form the
ferrous sulfide. The ferrous sulfide causes the greenish grey ring and sulfur odor (Brown, 2015).
The ferrous sulfide ring can be prevented by using cold water immediately after boiling. This
will lower the pressure within the egg and the hydrogen sulfide gas will not be pushed into the
yolk but instead move toward the shell (Brown, 2015). The deteriorated egg that was cooked for
15 minutes and the deteriorated egg that was cooked for 60 minutes both had a rotten smell with
a think green ring. The ring in these eggs was more pronounced than the fresh egg that was over
cooked. This is due to the pH differences in the fresh eggs and the aged eggs. The pH level in the
deteriorated egg was much higher than the pH in the fresh egg. The increased pH level promotes
ferrous sulfide production (Walter & Beathard, 2015). The yolks were also off centered in the

deteriorated eggs. This is due to the large air cell that had pushed the yolk to the bottom of the
egg.
In conclusion, the results were supportive that the quality of eggs decrease when not
stored properly and that cooking eggs for two long will produce unpleasant results. It is
important to store eggs in proper refrigeration to prevent deterioration and keep the quality of the
eggs. It is also important to not over-cook eggs when hard cooking them to prevent the sulfur
odor and green ring around the yolk. Using an ice bath is another important factor in inhibiting
the ferrous sulfide conditions within a hard-cooked egg.

References
Brown, A. (2015). Understanding food principles and preparation. Stamford, CT: Cengage
Learning.
Walter & Beathard (2015). Understanding food principles and preparation: Lab Manual.
Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.