When I crack open my egg, there are tiny spots near the yolk of the egg, is this bad?
Blood or meat spots, occasionally found on an egg yolk, are merely an error on the part of the hen. They do not indicate a fertilized egg but instead, are caused by the rupture of a blood vessel during formation of the egg. Eggs with blood spots are okay to eat. The spot can be removed if you wish. The existence of a blood spot actually signifies a very fresh egg. Within a short time, the blood spot absorbs back into the egg.
When I get fresh eggs how long will they last?
Unwashed eggs will last at least two weeks if un-refrigerated, and three months if refrigerated. Washed eggs should be refrigerated, and will last at least two months, but won’t taste as fresh as an unwashed egg of the same age.
An eggshell contains almost 10,000 pores. The outer surface is covered with a waxy cuticle (called the bloom), sealing the egg and helping prevent bacteria from entering. Over time, gases and moisture escape through these pores.
When moisture is lost, carbon dioxide is also lost, speeding up the breakdown of the egg. The loss of carbon dioxide causes the egg's pH to increase, which results in thinning of the albumen (egg white).
It is standard practice to wash chicken eggs. Depending on the method of washing, the cuticle can be easily damaged, which leaves your eggs vulnerable to contamination and faster spoilage. Commercial processing destroys this protective cuticle. The egg industry knows this, so to replace what the Good Lord put there for good reason, they must coat the egg with something—often mineral oil. Not only is mineral oil a non-natural agent, but it's a petroleum product that was never intended for you to eat.
What is the difference between white, brown, blue and green eggs?
Egg shell color has nothing to do with the quality or flavor of the egg. The color of the egg shell is dependent on the breed of the chicken laying the egg.
Why do some eggs have lighter or darker yolks?
The color of the yolk is influenced by the type of feed. Yolk color doesn't affect the flavor of the egg. The nutritional quality may be affected depending on the feed that is given to the chicken.
There is a white stringy thing in my egg.
The white stringy thing is called the chalaze. It is a pair of spiral bands that anchor the yolk to the center of the egg white. The fresher the egg, the more prominent the chalaze.