Real reason there are flecks in egg whites – and it's not egg shell
Shoppers have been left scratching their heads after realising the pale brown flecks in egg whites are not bits of shell.
Eggs are a staple in many kitchens due to their versatility and delicious taste.
Whether you prefer them boiled, scrambled or poached, eggs never disappoint. However, have you ever noticed something peculiar when you crack one open?
If you pay close attention to the egg whites, you might spot tiny brown specks every now and then. While it's easy to mistake these for shell fragments, they're actually not.
In fact, they're completely "harmless". This food revelation has been making rounds on Reddit recently.
A user sparked curiosity by sharing a photo of their raw egg, which displayed small dots in the egg white. The light brown flecks seemed to cause some concern.
The post read: "I've never bought this brand before but they seem to taste better. I've eaten about 10 of the dozen so far and this is the 1st time I've seen this. Anyone know what those flecks are that I circled? It's not shell, it was a clean break."
The question prompted a flurry of responses, and it wasn't long before the culinary mystery was solved. As we all know, there's always something new to learn!
One respondent clarified: "It's little spots of blood and/or protein left over from the formation of the egg. Completely harmless and perfectly fine to eat. Very common with fresh eggs."
Another individual remarked: "Noticed this same thing in some eggs from the Amish I got from the local farmers market recently. Perfectly fine!"
A third person added their voice to the conversation, saying: "Always scare me thinking they are shell pieces in mine too, but pretty normal every once in a while."
Meanwhile, another commenter noted: "It's just normal egg stuff. I buy those eggs and see those all the time, and there's never been an issue."
It appears that everyone was on the mark, as these occurrences are quite common in eggs. If they make you uncomfortable, you have the option to remove them or simply eat them - there's no cause for alarm.
Healthline reports that meat spots are typically found in the egg white and can develop from tissue fragments that the egg picks up while travelling through the oviduct. Conversely, blood spots are generally observed in the egg yolk and can occur when blood vessels in the hen's ovaries or oviduct burst.
Protein deposits that appear in the egg white are sometimes referred to as albumen. For those unfamiliar with their appearance, they tend to be brown or off-white in colour.
