Meat spots

[claud]

My eggs always(often) have what most people call "meat spots" in them. I know they don't hurt anything but I don't like them(usually pick them out). Why don't store bought eggs have them?

 

[Josie]

They are pulled out before packaging, how they detect them though, I have no idea!

 

[CovenantCreek]

If I read the papers I got from the state's Dept of Ag, anyone selling eggs on the scale of commercial producers (ok, it only has to be 50 crates or more per year, 1 crate equaling 30 dozen) has to candle every egg before it gets packed and the date/time has to be logged.

(I am SO glad I found the exemption for people selling only the eggs produced by their own flocks!)

 

[horsewishr]

I just read (on the web somewhere), that as an egg ages, the blood spots are absorbed into the yolk, and are not as visible. Maybe we're seeing them because we're eating fresh eggs. That's my theory, anyway. I can't believe that egg farms have "perfect" chickens or eggs.

Edited to add info:

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.​

 

[karu]

Now, will candling even show those meat spots ? Do you need some super-duper equipment to candle them so you can see anything there ? I tried with a flash light in a dark room and some of my eggs have a very thick shell that you cannot even see an air bubble in them.

BTW, some people think that the meat spot means the egg is fertilized and I afraid that it is a turn off for them, in case if you want to sell.

 

[Katy]

Many years ago when I worked at my neighbors "egg farm" every egg was candled and you could see the spots and those eggs got pulled.

 

[karu]

o.k., invented my own candling device, can candle few eggs at a time and it shows nicely - need clear plastic container, laundry drying rack with a net and a flash light.
Very proud of myself !

 

[Wynette]

It's funny I found this thread, because just yesterday I took a picture of several eggs with meat spots. I know they're okay to eat, but I think they're gross. And, I worry that the people I give my spare eggs to will think they're gross, too. I only have one chicken that lays eggs with meat spots, and almost every egg she lays has them. Fortunately, she typically lays Jumbo sized eggs, and thus far, she's the only one that does so. So, guess I'll just pull hers and use them myself.

 

[silkiechicken]

I'm glad my customers are generally those who grew up in foreign countries and know what to expect in a fresh egg so meat spots, different colors, different sizes, and a bit of dirt on the egg itself isn't a turn off.

 

[karu]

Silkiechicken you are lucky, because I have to answer questions such as 'how do you know if they are fresh?' , not to sound arrogant, but duh! 'chicken lays fresh eggs,you know' or as my husband suggested - 'say you have a computer program that checks egg freshness'.

However, I was unable to see any meat spots with my new candling device, but one egg that I pulled for some other curious reason had that meat spot and was fertile! I hard cooked the egg and could see the 'bull's eye' on the yolk and the yellowish spot on the eggwhite where it touched it. Learning process...