Egg quiz: From fried to dyed, test your smarts

Sometimes dyed or decorated eggs, such as Easter eggs, are safe to eat, but not always. It depends on how you handle the eggs and how long they remain at room temperature. To ensure the safety of decorated eggs:

• Wash your hands before and after working with the eggs.
• Refrigerate eggs after hard boiling, dyeing or decorating.
• Use food-safe coloring and dyes.
• Discard cracked eggs, even if properly cooked and stored, because bacteria could contaminate the inside.
• Discard eggs that have been out of the refrigerator for more than two hours.

Eggshell color has no effect on the taste or nutritional content of eggs. The breed of the hen laying the egg determines an eggshell's color. Breeds with white feathers lay white eggs. Those with red feathers lay brown eggs.

Yes, egg whites are fat-free. The fat and cholesterol in an egg comes from the yolk. A large egg's yolk has about 5 grams of fat and 212 milligrams (mg) of cholesterol. National dietary guidelines recommend an intake of no more than 300 mg of cholesterol a day for healthy adults and no more than 200 mg a day for individuals with heart disease or for those who are at high risk of heart disease.

To reduce your fat and cholesterol intake, you can use egg substitutes in most recipes, including eggnog, ice cream, omelets, cakes and cookies. A quarter cup (2 fluid ounces) of egg substitutes replaces each whole egg. If you prefer to use regular eggs without the yolks, substitute two egg whites for each whole egg.

Egg substitutes are made of egg whites, artificial color and other various nonegg additives. These additives provide thickening, consistency and nutrients, including iron, vitamin E, vitamin B-12 and vitamin B-6. Egg substitutes may also have added fat and artificial flavors to help simulate the taste of regular whole eggs.

Some stores sell pasteurized shell eggs, but most don't. Pasteurization — heating eggs or egg products to a certain temperature for a specific amount of time — destroys harmful bacteria. This process isn't done widely for fresh eggs. However, all egg products, such as liquid egg substitutes, are pasteurized. So, while it's not safe to eat raw or undercooked whole eggs, you can eat raw or undercooked pasteurized egg products. To find pasteurized shell eggs, look for sealed cartons labeled "pasteurized."

You can use any of these methods to cook eggs safely. Just be sure to cook them thoroughly — until yolks and whites are firm. For hard-boiled eggs, cook the eggs in boiling water for seven minutes. Cook fried eggs two to three minutes on each side. Make sure scrambled eggs aren't runny and that they're firm throughout. Cook casseroles and other dishes that contain eggs to 160 F.

Eggs may contain salmonella, bacteria that can cause serious illness. You can't easily detect if an egg is infected with salmonella, so it's especially important not to eat raw or undercooked eggs. Cooking eggs properly destroys any salmonella present.

A spoiled egg, either raw or cooked, has an unpleasant odor when you crack it open. If the egg floats in water, it may not be spoiled, but it is a sign that the egg is old. A cloudy egg white, on the other hand, is a sign that the egg is fresh. Check for spoilage by cracking the egg into a bowl and examining it for a foul odor and appearance.

True. Store-bought eggs have a tasteless, natural mineral oil covering the shell to protect it from harmful bacteria. When you wash or cook eggs, that coating rinses off, leaving the egg more susceptible to spoilage.

Refrigerate hard-boiled eggs within two hours of cooking, and eat within one week. You can keep fresh eggs for three to five weeks in your refrigerator. Most egg cartons now have an "expiration date," helping you to know when the eggs are past their peak quality.