Is an egg with a darker yolk fresher?

Answer

No. The colour of an egg yolk relates not to freshness but to what the hen has eaten. Natural pigments found in feeds such as maize, alfalfa and red pepper — carotenoids like lutein and beta-carotene — make the yolk lighter or darker. A dark yolk therefore does not indicate that the egg is fresher, of better quality or more nutritious. Freshness is judged by the production date, appropriate storage conditions and storage time; the surest approach is to check the best-before date and the storage conditions on the packaging.