What Makes Eggs Turn Green?
Green Hard-Boiled Eggs
After boiling an egg, you may crack it open to find an unappealing gray-green color. This is more unappealing to the eyes than it is to the taste buds. The true reason eggs turn this color is explained by a reaction between two compounds found in the egg. The yolk has iron that reacts with the white's hydrogen sulfide. The green layer forms where the yolk and the white meet.
Causes
Overcooking an egg leads to the reaction between the iron and the hydrogen sulfide. Preventing the eggs from overcooking can be done by timing how long they are cooked, rinsing them with cool water after they have been boiled and removing the heat source once the water boils. Allowing the eggs to sit in boiled water will cook them just the same as actually boiling the eggs. However, by limiting the heat source's impact on the egg, you can reduce the chances of overcooking it. Eggs scrambled in a skillet can also turn green due to the reaction between the iron in the pan and the sulfates within the egg.
Green Is Harmless
Even though a chemical reaction takes place when the green layer develops, there is nothing wrong with this part of the egg. The eggs will also taste just the same. Preventing the green layer will preserve the yellow color of the egg.
Tags: green layer, reaction between, between iron, Eggs Turn, Eggs Turn Green, heat source
