SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/kitchen-egg-float-age

What does it usually mean when a whole egg floats in water?

It is older and has a larger air cell.

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  1. It is hard boiled
  2. It is newly laid
  3. It is older with a larger air cell ✔

Why: As an egg ages, its air cell enlarges enough to make the egg buoyant. Floating indicates age and lower quality, not necessarily that the egg is unsafe.

Huh, didn't know that: A floating egg may still be safe: crack it into a bowl and check for an off smell or odd look.

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How do hens stay fit? They always egg-cercise!
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References

Answer: It is older with a larger air cell. As an egg ages, its air cell enlarges enough to make the egg buoyant. Floating indicates age and lower quality, not necessarily that the egg is unsafe.

  1. Nebraska Extension Egg Float Test extension.unl.edu/statewide/lincolnmcpherson/egg-floats-still-fresh
    An egg can float in water when its air cell has enlarged sufficiently to keep it buoyant.
    Checked 2026-10-11.

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