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EXPLORE FURTHER: Specialists explain why storing onions in the refrigerator is always a bad idea
As every shopper understands, eggs come packaged in cardboard containers arranged neatly in upward-facing rows.
However, nothing compares to bringing them home only to find multiple ones broken and spoiled.
A surprising new research now proposes an innovative method for packaging and storing eggs.
Actually, experts share that they would fare much better by lying on their side, facing sideways instead of upwards.
Lab experiments at
Massachusetts
Research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) indicates that raw chicken eggs are less prone to cracking when dropped on their sides.
Since the 'equator' of an egg can handle more impact, the packaging ought to be improved to safeguard the two more fragile tips.
Furthermore, if we were to lift them from a cardboard box horizontally, they would be less prone to cracking when dropped directly onto the floor.
The MIT researchers state in their paper, released today, "Eggs prove more resilient when subjected to pressure along their equatorial region," as noted in their study.
Communications Physics
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To assess how large raw chicken eggs shatter under similar conditions, the scientists performed drop tests with three different orientations: horizontally along their widest point, vertically with their pointed ends down, and vertically with their rounded ends down.
In total, they tested 180 eggs—60 eggs from each of three distinct height levels: 0.31, 0.35, and 0.39 inches (which correspond to 8, 9, and 10 millimeters respectively).
Should researchers identify a fissure in the shell, the egg would be categorized as cracked.
In general, they observed a 'statistically significant reduction' in the probability of an egg breaking when positioned horizontally compared to vertically.
The quantity of broken eggs upon impact at their midpoint was less compared to those hit at their ends.
On average, eggs broken when dropped vertically shattered at a lesser height of 8.66mm as opposed to those dropped horizontally, which broke at around 8.9mm.
Over half of the eggs fell directly down from 8 millimeters and ended up cracked (it didn’t matter which side was facing downward).
At the same time, fewer than 10 percent of horizontally dropped eggs broke when dropped from the same height.
Egg drop results
8MM DROP HEIGHT
:
Horizontal
- 5% of the eggs were cracked
Sharp end
- 55% of the eggs were cracked
Blunt end
- 55% of the eggs were cracked
9MM DROP HEIGHT
:
Horizontal
- 30% of the eggs were cracked
Sharp end
- 70% of the eggs were cracked
Blunt end
- 85% of the eggs were cracked
10MM DROP HEIGHT
:
Horizontal
- 45% of the eggs were cracked
Sharp end
- 80% of the eggs were broken
Blunt end
- 80% of the eggs were broken
An additional 60 eggs underwent compression testing to determine the amount of force needed to break them both vertically and horizontally.
Although 45 newtons of force were needed to break the eggs regardless of their orientation, the eggs placed horizontally could be compressed more before they cracked.
Scientists believe that eggs are more pliable at their equatorial region, allowing them to withstand greater impact without cracking when oriented this way.
The findings similarly debunk the common misconception that an egg dropped straight down is less prone to cracking.
"We challenge the widely accepted notion that an egg is most resilient when dropped vertically on its tip," state the researchers in their study.
These findings indicate that when an egg is dropped along its equator, it may withstand higher drop heights before cracking.
In general, packaging that exposes the center of the egg rather than both ends might offer greater protection for the item.
The findings indicate that the most effective method to break open a raw egg for culinary purposes is by tapping its top or bottom rather than striking it along the center as many people typically do.
The team acknowledges that multiple material and geometric elements might play a role in enhancing the overall robustness of an egg.
In their research document, scientists mention that the durability of eggshells holds significance extending past just avian eggs.
In natural settings, shells serve as protective coverings for soft-bodied creatures like turtles and marine animals, as well as forming the exterior coatings of viruses and bacteria.
Subsequent investigations might extend these novel discoveries to fields like structural engineering, exploring for instance how buildings react under dynamic loading conditions.
'The insights into the mechanical failures of these structures could therefore facilitate advancements across a wide array of applications, including the development of protective gear and drug delivery systems,' the team explains.
Experts assert that an ideally boiled egg requires 32 minutes of cooking time; hence, MailOnline decided to put this technique to the test, yielding some unexpected outcomes!
People have been consuming eggs for millions of years, yet apparently, we've been preparing them incorrectly this whole time.
Researchers from the University of Naples say they've developed a technique for cooking the ideal boiled egg with a perfectly smooth, vibrant orange yolk.
MailOnline decided to put the eggs-periment to the test – yielding unexpected outcomes.
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As per the experts' advice, the egg needs to go into boiling water for about two minutes prior to being transferred to a bowl filled with 30°C water for an additional two minutes.
This needs to be done an additional seven times, making a total of eight cycles — which will lead to a overall cooking duration of 32 minutes.
This technique resolves the frequent problem of ending up with a runny white and a set yolk, or conversely, a firm white and an overly done yolk — which are common pitfalls of traditional approaches.
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