Is it possible to freeze eggs?

March 18, 2021 Rianna Ross Nutrition 0

The egg is one of the most used ingredients in the kitchen, since it is very versatile both to create breakfasts, lunches, dinners or even desserts.

Most eggs that come in a cardboard package can last 3 to 5 weeks in your refrigerator, so it is vital to use them when they are in optimal condition.

If you have eggs and you don’t want them to spoil, you may want to freeze them. Another possibility is that you use only the whites of the eggs for a recipe and do not want to waste the egg yolks.

For this reason, we answer the question whether it is possible to freeze eggs .

¿Es posible congelar los huevos?

What kind of eggs can you freeze?

Keep in mind that only some types of eggs can be frozen . However, according to some food organizations, under no circumstances should you freeze raw eggs still in their shell.

In this regard, a study affirms that when raw eggs freeze, the liquid inside them expands and can cause the shell to break, so the content can spoil and bacterial contamination can occur (Liu, Chen and Tan, 2016).

On the other hand, doing this also generates a change in the texture of the egg, since the egg yolks become denser, similar to a gel, which makes it more difficult to use it in the kitchen. Freezing cooked eggs is also not recommended , as the whites can take on a rubbery, watery texture when thawed.

Despite everything, the following types of eggs can be frozen :

  • Raw whites
  • Raw yolks
  • Whole eggs that have been beaten without the shell
  • Meals that include eggs in your content
Los tipos de huevos que puedes congelar

How does freezing affect eggs?

1. Its texture

Egg whites are mostly made up of water and protein, so freezing them and then defrosting and cooking them does not greatly modify their texture. Some people claim that freezing egg whites increases their ability to create foam, an important feature in the world of desserts.

One study found that freezing the whites of an egg causes some of its proteins to denature or lose their shape. On the other hand, frozen egg whites have better foam-creating properties (Duan et al., 2017).

On the other hand, a study found that frozen egg yolks develop a thick, gel-like consistency. This reaction is called gelling and occurs as a result of the production of ice crystals in the yolk. However, the yolks can be frozen and one way to improve their texture in the future is to add sugar or salt before freezing them, which prevents gelling (Primacella, Fei, Acevedo and Wang, 2018).

2. Its flavor

It is unlikely that the egg yolks or whites will taste different after being thawed and cooked, but if they were combined with other ingredients before the process this can vary.

Raw yolks may have a slightly salty or sweet taste depending on whether salt or sugar was added before freezing. You also need to remember that some frozen egg-containing products may include preservatives or other ingredients that affect the original taste.

In order not to find any surprises, it is always advisable to read the list of ingredients on the packaging before buying.

Cómo cambian los huevos luego de congelarlos

How to freeze different types of eggs?

Rule number one for freezing eggs is to always remove the shell before doing so. Raw eggs can be frozen for up to 12 months, while foods that contain them can be stored for up to 2-3 months.

Whole eggs

  1. Start by breaking whole eggs and putting them in a bowl. Then mix them until the yolks and whites are combined.
  2. Pour the mixture into a freezer-safe container. A good option is to freeze each egg separately and then consume it on demand.
  3. To keep everything organized you can label each container with its respective date and the number of eggs in it.

Egg whites

  1. Break the eggs and set the whites aside.
  2. Place them in an ice bucket, filling each space, or use another type of freezer-safe container.
  3. Mark the date and number of whites on the container

Eggs yolks

  1. Break and separate the contents of the eggs.
  2. In a bowl put the yolks, beat until completely combined and liquid
  3. For every 4 egg yolks add ¼ teaspoon of salt or ½ -1 teaspoon of granulated sugar. Mix until combined.
  4. Pour the mixture into a freezer-safe container and label each one with its corresponding date as well as the number of yolks used (also place if salt or sugar was used).

Egg meals

  1. Start with a plate of food at room temperature and cool it to 5 ° to prevent the growth of bacteria
  2. Once cool, cover the food with a lid and put it in the freezer. You can also freeze individual servings.
Los diferentes métodos para congelar huevos

References

  • Duan, X., Li, J., Zhang, Q., Zhao, T., Li, M., Xu, X. and Liu, X. (2017). Effect of a multiple freeze-thaw process on structural and foaming properties of individual egg white proteins. Food chemistry. doi: 10.1016 / j.foodchem.2017.02.005.
  • Primacella, M., Fei, T., Acevedo, N. and Wang, T. (2018). Effect of food additives on egg yolk gelation induced by freezing. Food chemistry. doi: 10.1016 / j.foodchem.2018.04.071
  • Liu, YC, Chen, TH, Wu, YC and Tan, FJ (2016). Determination of the quality of stripe-marked and cracked eggs during storage. Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences. doi: 10.5713 / ajas.16.0440