You crack a fresh egg into a bowl, ready to start your morning scramble, and there it is: a small, red spot suspended in the golden yolk. For many home cooks, this sight triggers immediate concern. Is it blood? Is it an embryo? Should you toss the whole egg? These tiny specks have sparked kitchen debates for generations, leading to perfectly good eggs being discarded over misunderstandings. Let’s crack open the facts.
What Are Those Red Spots, Really?
Contrary to popular belief, those red spots are not underdeveloped embryos—they are small blood clots. Known in the egg industry as “meat spots” or “blood spots,” they form when tiny blood vessels in the hen’s ovary or oviduct rupture during the egg-laying process. The blood or tissue then gets incorporated into the egg as it’s formed.
This has nothing to do with fertilization. In fact, the vast majority of eggs sold commercially are from hens that have not been in contact with a rooster. The spots are simply a natural, albeit occasional, part of egg formation.
Why Do They Happen?
Several factors can increase the likelihood of blood spots:
Genetics: Some breeds of hens are more prone to them.
Age: Both very young hens (just starting to lay) and older hens (near the end of their laying cycle) are more likely to produce eggs with spots.
Diet: Deficiencies in vitamins like vitamin A or vitamin K can affect vascular strength.
Stress: Environmental stressors can sometimes play a role.
Random Chance: Often, it’s simply a minor, natural occurrence with no underlying health issue in the hen.
Yes, eggs with blood spots are perfectly safe to eat. Authorities like the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Egg Safety Center confirm that these eggs are edible and pose no health risk. The blood spot is not an indicator of a spoiled or fertilized egg.
The USDA even accounts for them during grading:
Grade AA and A Eggs: These high-grade eggs are checked by candling (passing over a bright light), and most with visible blood spots are removed. However, some can slip through.
Grade B Eggs: May have more minor defects, including blood spots, and are often used in liquid or powdered egg products.
If the spot bothers you visually or psychologically, you can easily remove it with the tip of a clean knife or a fork tine and use the rest of the egg without issue. The taste, nutritional value, and cooking properties remain unchanged.
Debunking the Myths
Myth 1: “It means the egg was fertilized and contains a chick.”
False. As explained, fertilization is unrelated. Commercial table eggs are almost never fertilized.
Myth 2: “It means the hen was sick or unhealthy.”
Not necessarily. While severe vitamin deficiencies or illness could increase frequency, an occasional blood spot is usually a benign, natural occurrence.
Myth 3: “Brown eggs have more blood spots than white eggs.”
The eggshell color is determined by the hen’s breed and has no correlation with the likelihood of interior spots.
Myth 4: “You must throw the whole egg away.”
Absolutely not. At most, remove the spot if you prefer. Discarding it is an unnecessary waste of perfectly good food.
A Note on “Bloody Egg Whites”
Occasionally, you might see a pinkish or reddish tint to the egg white. This is rarer and is caused by porphyrin, a natural pigment that can seep from the shell membrane into the white. Like blood spots, this is not a sign of spoilage or fertilization, and the egg is safe to consume after cooking.
