How Do Time and Refrigeration Affect Egg Quality?
The egg, as laid at 105 F, normally has no air cell. It forms as the egg cools, usually in the large end of the egg, and develops between the two shell membranes. The air cell is formed as a result of the different rates of contraction between the shell and its contents. Over time, the white and yolk of an egg lose quality. The yolk absorbs water from the white. Moisture and carbon dioxide in the white evaporate through the pores, allowing more air to penetrate the shell, and the air cell becomes larger. If broken open, the eggs contents would cover a wider area. The white would be thinner, losing some of its thickening and leavening powers. The yolk would be flatter, larger and more easily broken. The chalazae (kah-LAY-zuh), the twisted cord-like strands of egg white that anchor the yolk in the center of the white, would be less prominent and weaker, allowing the yolk to move off center. Refrigeration slows the loss of quality over time.
