Seponi
Hatching
So I cracked a blue egg today for breakfast and almost freaked, but after looking at some various posts on the web I've come to the conclusion that its mostly harmless. The consensus is that it's generally caused by a bacteria called Pseudomonas fluorescens. It is a very common bacterium found in plants, soil and water surfaces, and is commensal with plants, promoting growth, and breaking down toxins to promote health. It grows at lower temperatures, and cannot usually cause problems to non-immunocompromised humans due to our body temperature and normal immune system. It does aid in food spoilage by breaking down proteins, which is helpful in the production of yogurt
The best benefit of the bacteria is in the production of Mupirocin, the main antibiotic used for MRSA.
Source of the green fluorescence: "Pseudomonas fluorescens also used siderophores to satisfy the need for iron. This bacterium produces the siderophore pyoverdine which is responsible for chelating iron only when concentrations are low. This siderophore is responsible for the fluorescence of Pseudoonas fluoresecens. This explains why the fluorescent pigment is only produced when iron concentrations are low. When iron concentrations are high, pyoverdine is not needed so colonies will not fluoresce under ultraviolet light." - This suggests the egg is low in iron.
Overall, I like this bacteria, and am not too concerned about it present in an egg here and there. I probably just need to check and maybe increase the iron in their diet. Obviously, any bacteria can grow to harmful levels if left unchecked, but nature usually does a good job at checking, if I'm providing proper environmental support.
I still won't eat any eggs that come out green, but unless I see other signs of something bad I'll chock it up to a harmless anomaly.
Amanda
http://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Pseudomonas_fluorescens
http://web.mst.edu/~microbio/BIO221_2009/P_fluorescens.html
http://public.wsu.edu/~mavrodi/q8r1.htm
The best benefit of the bacteria is in the production of Mupirocin, the main antibiotic used for MRSA.
Source of the green fluorescence: "Pseudomonas fluorescens also used siderophores to satisfy the need for iron. This bacterium produces the siderophore pyoverdine which is responsible for chelating iron only when concentrations are low. This siderophore is responsible for the fluorescence of Pseudoonas fluoresecens. This explains why the fluorescent pigment is only produced when iron concentrations are low. When iron concentrations are high, pyoverdine is not needed so colonies will not fluoresce under ultraviolet light." - This suggests the egg is low in iron.
Overall, I like this bacteria, and am not too concerned about it present in an egg here and there. I probably just need to check and maybe increase the iron in their diet. Obviously, any bacteria can grow to harmful levels if left unchecked, but nature usually does a good job at checking, if I'm providing proper environmental support.
I still won't eat any eggs that come out green, but unless I see other signs of something bad I'll chock it up to a harmless anomaly.
Amanda
http://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Pseudomonas_fluorescens
http://web.mst.edu/~microbio/BIO221_2009/P_fluorescens.html
http://public.wsu.edu/~mavrodi/q8r1.htm
