Since we don’t candle our eggs, people that buy our eggs may notice more blood spots in them than what they’d see from grocery store eggs. Several people have asked me lately about these blood spots – what are they and are they okay to eat? I didn’t know the answer, so this is what I found out from the Iowa Egg Council:
“Blood Spots, also called meat spots. Occasionally found on an egg yolk. Contrary to popular opinion, these tiny spots do not indicate a fertilized egg. Rather, they are caused by the rupture of a blood vessel on the yolk surface during formation of the egg or by a similar accident in the wall of the oviduct. Less than 1% of all eggs produced have blood spots.
Mass candling methods reveal most eggs with blood spots and those eggs are removed but, even with electronic spotters, it is impossible to catch all of them. As an egg ages, the yolk takes up water from the albumen to dilute the blood spot so, in actuality, a blood spot indicates that the egg is fresh. Both chemically and nutritionally, these eggs are fit to eat. The spot can be removed with the tip of a knife, if you wish.”
© 2002 Iowa Egg Council – All rights reserved
learn something everyday, huh? 🙂
Ours seemed to have eggs with blood spots a lot more often when they were first laying.Maybe it’s the “ouch” factor LOL.
Ours seemed to have eggs with blood spots a lot more often when they were first laying.Maybe it’s the “ouch” factor LOL.
We live in a rural area & buy our eggs locally. Every other egg seems to have a blood spot. Somebody told us that often means the hens are stressed, which causes a rupture (somewhere) in the hen. It’s the stressed hens that concern may. Any truth to this?