Michigan Egg Shortage: Easy Test to See If Yours Have Gone Bad

My wife and I disagree on expiration dates. She sees them as a ploy by big business to get you to buy more food sooner than you'd like, whereas I don't want to play Russian Roulette with food poisoning. So, with egg prices skyrocketing in Michigan, should I trust the date stamped on my eggs or roll the dice on having a scrambled stomach? Well, it turns out that Purina, the experts in backyard poultry, has an incredibly easy method at home to test whether you have good or rotten eggs.

The Egg Float Test: Fun, But Not a Guarantee

Some Michiganders may or may not have heard of the 'egg float test'—a quick trick where you drop an egg in the water to see if it sinks or floats. Sounds pretty simple, right? Well, here's the truth: this test will tell how old it is, which will give you an idea if it's a good idea to eat it.

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Here's how it works:

• Sinks and lays flat: That's a pretty new egg, fresh out of the 'factory'
• Sinks BUT stands upright: A little older, but still good
• Floats: That egg is no spring chicken, it's been around a while and may not be worth the risk

Look, if you have doubts, the best bet is to throw it away. Yes, eggs are expensive right now, but a trip to the ER isn't cheap either.

You'll KNOW an Egg's Bad Once You've Cracked It

If you crack an egg and it smells like something died in the kitchen (strong sulfur-ish odor), congratulations, you've found a rotten egg. Now you know why horrid smells are compared to them.

RELATED: Prepare to Pay 'Egg Taxes' at Michigan Restaurants

But let's face it: Until egg prices go down and the supply stabilizes, you must treasure your eggs. Guard them with your life, and if prices keep going up, you may have enough egg equity for a down payment on a home.