Can eggs with cracks still be eaten?

It really depends on how big the crack is and how long the egg has been sitting around like that. If it's just a tiny hairline crack and you just bought the egg or it was still in the fridge, then you can usually still eat it. The shell mainly protects against bacteria getting in, but if the crack is really small, nothing bad happens.

But if the crack is bigger or the egg has been sitting around for a while, I wouldn't take it. Germs like salmonella can get in through bigger cracks and then it becomes unsafe. And if the egg white or yolk have already leaked out, that's definitely a no-go. How long have you had the egg anyway? And what does the crack look like - pretty small or bigger?

If you're not sure, just cook it thoroughly. With scrambled eggs, omelets, or in cake batter, the germs are gone faster than with soft-boiled eggs. But honestly, when I have doubts, I'd rather throw it away - it just feels too risky to me and eggs don't cost that much anyway.

The most important thing is to crack the egg open before cooking and give it a smell - if it smells normal and the consistency looks okay, a small crack is no problem because the heat while cooking will kill everything anyway. With bigger cracks or if the egg's been sitting around for a while and you're not sure, better skip it - the risk isn't worth it.

When it comes to cracks, you've got to tell the difference between fresh and old eggs. Here's the thing: a crack itself isn't really the problem - it's what can get in through it. And that mainly happens if the egg's been sitting around at room temperature for a while.

If it's been in the fridge the whole time and you just noticed the crack now, you can eat it no problem.

But if you smell something off when you crack it open or it looks weird, toss it - though that's just a basic rule for any egg anyway.

Like I said, it really depends on the circumstances. Personally I'd eat it if the crack is small and the egg was refrigerated, but I'd crack it open first and quickly check if it still smells and looks normal. With bigger cracks or if the egg's been sitting out at room temperature for a while, I'd rather just toss it - it's just not worth the risk to me. Did you have an egg like that at home?