Water Glassing Eggs

 Hi Everyone!

This information is what I researched. After reading for days about water glassing eggs. I will NOT be doing it. Take this information as you will and make up your own minds. 

Do your own research. 

 During my egg freezing tutorial I mentioned that I wanted to try water glassing Eggs. You also know that I only carry out safe food storage. If you aren't being safe about it, what's the point!? I have watched many videos on water glassing. Every person seems to have taken from the last video they watched and simply repeated the process. Also, the videos didn't give me any science or safety behind the process. Only that their great grandma did and so they are doing it. Well, I did do the research. I started with a scientist and the place I learned to can. Pam from Rosered Homestead. Here it is if you would like to watch it.  I also found out, on my own research, why NOT to water glass eggs. This is a very informative video on the egg and well worth watching. Also she tells it better than I can. LOL

 

My research took me to the places I normally go. Utah State University

Has some great info on the egg. Including freezing, freeze drying, proper temp to refrigerate eggs and more. 

Their conclusion on water glassing eggs is this,

"Whatever preservation method you choose, do not use water glassing for egg storage. Also, remember that Salmonella bacteria is not killed by freeze-drying or freezing. When using the stored eggs, cook them thoroughly to kill the bacteria that may still be present. Do not use the stored eggs in uncooked products such as smoothies, eggnog, and so forth."

The next site is the USDA and has everything you need to know about the egg. I highly recommend this site. Also you just click on the info you want, you don't have to read the whole thing.

The Egg USDA

According to the USDA, water glassing eggs is not considered a safe method for preserving eggs and is not recommended due to the risk of bacterial contamination, particularly Salmonella, which can be present inside the egg even before the shell is formed; therefore, submerging unwashed eggs in a lime water solution (water glassing) is not a safe practice. 

Pam's video explains how an egg is formed. Something I didn't know.

Now what is used to water glass eggs?

Pickling Lime also known as calcium hydroxide.

Pickling lime is not safe. Mount Sinia has a wonderful report on calcium hydroxide and the results of ingesting it. Doesn't look like fun to me. This lime water seeps into the egg. Here are just a few of the things that contain calcium hydroxide.

• Cement
• Limewater, used in a lot of products.
  
• Many industrial solvents and cleaners (hundreds to thousands of construction products, flooring strippers, brick cleaners, cement thickening products, and many others)
• Here are some things that can go wrong if you ingest calcium hydroxide. 
• From Mount Sinia.
  

• Symptoms

  Below are symptoms of calcium hydroxide poisoning in different parts of the body.

  EYES, EARS, NOSE, AND THROAT

• Loss of vision
• Severe pain in the throat
• Severe pain or burning in the nose, eyes, ears, lips, or tongue

STOMACH AND INTESTINES

• Blood in the stool
• Burns in the food pipe (esophagus)
• Severe abdominal pain
• Vomiting
• Vomiting blood

HEART AND BLOOD

• Collapse
• Low blood pressure that develops rapidly (shock)
• Severe change in the acid level in the blood (pH balance), which leads to damage in all of the body organs

LUNGS AND AIRWAYS

• Breathing difficulty (from breathing in substance)
• Throat swelling (which may also cause breathing difficulty)

SKIN

• Burns
• Holes (necrosis) in the skin or tissues underneath
• Irritation 
• I don't know how much one would have to ingest or inhale but why take the chance?
  

• Now I know people who use pickling lime for canning. I DO NOT. I USE PICKLING SALT TO MAKE MY VEGGIES CRISP.
• 
  All natural and no additives.
• This is not a comprehensive report, by any means, but it gives you an idea of how bad water glassing eggs is. Of course I leave it to you to make your own decision.
• Hope I have shed some light.
• Nicole