Occasionally a blood vessel ruptures when an egg is being formed and this causes a small blood spot (also referred to as a meat spot) to appear on the yolk. You can remove it if you'd like, but the egg is perfectly safe to eat with or without the blood spot.
Yes, it is ok. It's rare to see as less than 1% of eggs will contain a blood spot. Normally during grading these eggs will be separated, however sometimes an egg will slip through as it's harder to see blood spots in brown eggs.
The cause of a blood spot is simply a ruptured blood vessel on the yolk's surface as the egg is forming. This is a natural, benign process for both hen and egg. Instances of blood spots can increase when hens in a flock get excited by changes in lighting, changes in temperature, or simply shifting seasons.
It is a common misconception that seeing a blood spot in the egg yolk means it is fertilized. THIS IS UNTRUE! Both fertilized and unfertilized eggs can have blood spots. All eggs, fertilized or not, contain tiny blood vessels that anchor the yolk inside the egg.
The spots—which are generally harmless—are not, as is commonly thought, an indication of a fertilized egg, but rather are a result of a blood vessel in the chicken's reproductive tract rupturing during the egg formation process.
If the eggs sink to the bottom and lay flat on their side, they're still fresh. However, if they sink, but stand on one end at the bottom of the glass or bowl, they're not as fresh but still edible. Of course, if any eggs float to the top, they shouldn't be eaten.
The spot will actually look like a drop of blood: red in color with a uniform round shape. When seen, the egg should be discarded. If noted after cracking several eggs, the eggs without the spots may be used after the egg with the blood spot is removed.
Meat spots: These are protein deposits found in the white area of an egg, also known as the albumen, that form from pieces of tissue that break off the oviduct's walls as the egg passes through. You'll find these spots have brown or off-white coloring.
These dark splotches are created early in the process as the egg is traveling through the hen. As the egg passes through the oviduct (the organ that processes the yolk and adds the shell), it spins. If the egg spins too slowly as it moves along the tube, it can end up looking a little speckled.
The United States Department of Agriculture and the Egg Safety Center agree that eggs with blood spots are safe to eat if you cook the eggs properly. Whether they have blood spots or not, steer clear of consuming undercooked or raw eggs, which can increase your risk for a salmonella infection.
The best way to determine if your egg is spoiled is by cracking it open into a bowl. If the egg white is pink or iridescent this is an indication of spoilage due to Pseudomonas bacteria. Some of these bacteria can make us sick when eaten and they will produce a greenish, fluorescent, water-soluble color.
Does cooking eggs kill Salmonella bacteria? Yes, if you cook the eggs until both the white and yolk are solid. If you are cooking a dish containing eggs, make sure you cook it until the food is hot all the way through. It is best to avoid any uncooked foods or dishes that contain raw egg.
Since the time of the Gemara, there was a real concern that any blood spot that was found in an egg was blood created from fertilization. This would create a problem in that the entire egg would be considered an early stage chicken embryo, which would be forbidden for consumption.
No. The color of the shell does not affect the nutrient content. There is no nutritional difference between a white and a brown egg. The breed of the hen determines the color of her eggs.
Experts believe that eggs are best stored at room temperature. Storing eggs in too cold a temperature, i.e. in the refrigerator can make them inedible. Keeping eggs in the fridge cause the growth of bacteria on the shells and this turn and enter the insides of the eggs, in turn making them inedible.
Fresh eggs can be kept refrigerated for up to 6 weeks but always check the use by date displayed on the carton. It is best to put eggs in the fridge as soon as you get them home.
Hard-cooked eggs can also have black or brown spots on the albumen (egg white) from overcooking or burning. Discoloration due to overcooking does not impact food safety and these eggs are safe to eat.
In that case (in response to your edit) switch to white eggs, which will likely have fewer blood/tissue spots as per my answer. There is no other significant difference between white and brown eggs from chickens.
A general rule, unwashed eggs will last around two weeks unrefrigerated and about three months or more in your refrigerator. If you're experiencing an egg boom, it's smart to refrigerate any unwashed fresh eggs you aren't planning to eat immediately. This will help them last longer.
As long are they are kept refrigerated at 45 °F or lower, fresh shell eggs are safe to be consumed four to five weeks beyond the carton's Julian date (the date eggs were packed).
If it sinks or stays at the bottom, it is still fresh. An older egg will either stand on its end or float. The float test works because air builds up inside the egg as it ages, increasing its buoyancy. However, an egg that floats may still be safe to eat, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Salmonella illness can be serious and is more dangerous for some groups of people. Most people who get sick from Salmonella have diarrhea, fever, vomiting, and stomach cramps. Symptoms usually begin 6 hours to 6 days after infection and last 4 to 7 days.