Egg Storage in the Carton

Why are Eggs Stored Pointy End Down?

Question: ?
Why are Eggs Stored Pointy End Down?

Answer:
Eggs are stored with the pointed end pointing down into the carton for safety reasons.

Why are Eggs Stored Pointy End Down?

Natural Flavor Definition

Egg shells are porous. Although rare, it is possible for bacteria to seep through the shell of an egg and into the air sac that exists within the shell. The air pocket of an egg is located between the inner and outer membranes of the shell. This air pocket gradually grows as the egg loses moisture during storage.

When the pointed, or narrower end of the egg, is placed downward into the carton then gravity works to the advantage. It will keep the air sac in the rounded larger end of the egg which is then located on the top end of the egg, safely away from the yolk located in the center of the egg. The rounded area allows room for the natural expansion of the air sac as the egg ages.

In the rare occasion that there is any bacterial intrusion, fear of the air sac rupturing and spoiling the egg is eliminated with this proper storage.

Why are Eggs Stored Pointy End Down?

Additional Information

To find out how long eggs last, see our egg page.

To find out how long hard boiled eggs last, see our hard boiled egg page.

Older eggs make better hard boiled eggs, find out why here.

For information on freezing eggs, see our post on freezing eggs.

To check out lots of other packaging label terms that may not mean exactly what you might imagine, see our food labeling post.

To find out how long other foods are good for, please visit the Dairy, Drinks, Fruits, Grains, Proteins, Vegetables and Other sections of Eat By Date or use the search function below.

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