Have you ever cracked open an egg to find a little red blood spot in it? If you have, what did you do with the egg? Did you throw it away, or did you shrug your shoulders and continue cooking with it? Many people are unsure if these eggs are still safe to eat. We’re going to clear up all of the confusion for you as to how and why these spots happen, what they signify, and, of course, if they are still safe to eat.
Are Eggs With Blood Spots Safe To Eat?
You are likely reading this article because your main concern is whether or not eggs with blood spots are safe to eat. We will get straight to the point and tell you that, yes, they are – as long as they are properly cooked. They are completely harmless and won’t cause any illness. You can continue cooking with them as normal. If you prefer, you can also use the tip of a knife or something equally as small to remove the spot before cooking.
Egg whites may also contain brown meat spots. These are little pieces of tissue picked up by the egg as it passes through the oviduct. They are also completely harmless. On the other hand, if an egg white is pink, red, or green in color, this egg should be discarded. It likely means that a potentially dangerous bacteria has grown in that egg and could make you sick.
How Many Eggs Have Blood Spots?
Less than 1% of eggs will contain blood spots. If you are buying your eggs in a grocery store, it is very likely that you will never see one. This is because the grading process usually finds these spots and removes these eggs from the lineup. They use a process known as “candling” – the use of bright light to detect imperfections in each egg. For this reason, eggs with blood spots rarely make it to the consumer. Again, this has nothing to do with health risks and more to do with the fact that people just don’t find them appealing.
With farm-fresh eggs, however, you are slightly more likely to see the occasional blood spot. These eggs do not undergo the same process and of course, these farmers don’t have access to the same technology. Additionally, brown eggs are more likely to have spots because the darker shells make them harder to detect.
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