Fertilized chicken eggs, which contain a growing baby, are safe to eat. In some cultures, like China, eating fertilized eggs is expected and considered a treat. When fertilized eggs are cooked correctly, the heat kills any bugs that might be there, so there are no health risks.
But it’s important to follow food safety rules when handling and cooking eggs to lower the chance of getting sick. Most fertilized eggs have a minor mark that looks like a circle, but it is easier to ask the chicken farmer if the eggs are fertilized. So, let’s get to know more about, can you eat fertile eggs
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How To Determine If A Chicken Egg Is Fertilized?
You can candle the egg to find out if it has been fertilized. In the process of candling, the egg is held up to a bright light, like a light bulb or torch. Then, you look through the eggshell to see what’s inside.
At one end, fertilized eggs may have lines or a small dark spot called a blastoderm. If the baby is old enough, you may be able to see its shape. There may also be blood spots, but this is rare and doesn’t mean the woman is pregnant.
If you don’t want to use a light, you can tell if an egg is fertile by how it feels. Fertilized eggs are usually a bit heavier, and they can “clink” when held close together.
In the same way, hatching eggs often have a design on their shells that makes them easy to spot.
FAQ’S
Do Fertilized Eggs Taste Different?
No, fertilized eggs don’t taste any different than eggs that haven’t been fertilized. Whether the egg was fertilized or not, it has the same general structure and nutritional make-up, whether from a chicken, duck, quail, or another bird.
Fertilization usually doesn’t change the egg’s taste or feel. The main things that change how an egg tastes are how old it is, what the hen ate (like if it ate a lot of green leaves and herbs), and what kind of chicken it came from.
How Long Before Eating Can Fertilized Eggs Sit?
The shelf life of a fertilized egg depends on many things, like how it was handled and how fast it was cooked after being taken out of the fridge. However, most sources agree that a fertilized egg should be cooked within 1–3 days to keep it safe to eat.
To keep the eggs fresh, keep them in the fridge below 4 degrees Celsius and use them as soon as possible, usually within two to three days.
If there are small cracks in the eggshells, they should be used right away. It’s important to remember that the longer an egg is kept, the more likely it is to get damaged by cooling. Not to mention whether the egg is fertilized, if the shell is broken, it should be used immediately or cooked and put in the fridge because it won’t last long.
Should Fertilized Eggs Be Kept In The Fridge?
You can also put unfertilized eggs in the fridge, but you don’t have to do it immediately. Refrigerating fertilized eggs makes the egg more likely to grow into a healthy baby. This is because germs or contamination that could cause the egg to go wrong or make someone sick are kept away. Fertilized eggs should be kept at a temperature between 45°F and 50°F, with a relative humidity of 75–85 percent.
During the incubation process, keeping the temperature and humidity in this range is essential. If you don’t, the eggs might not hatch. Lastly, it’s important to keep eggs in boxes or trays that keep them from touching each other. This will keep them from cracking or breaking by accident.
Should Fertilized Eggs Be Kept Warm?
Yes, it is essential to keep fertilized eggs warm so that they can hatch into healthy chicks and finish their incubation time. During incubation, the temperature inside the egg should stay pretty stable, ideally between 99 and 102°F (37 and 39°C).
If there are too many temperature changes, the egg can die, and the chick won’t be able to live. So, it’s essential to keep fertilized eggs in an incubator that can keep the right conditions, or in some cases, to keep them warm with an electric heat pad or lamp.
Also, eggs should be turned over daily to ensure they cook evenly. Lastly, it’s essential to monitor the incubator’s temperature and humidity to ensure the eggs stay warm while they grow.
Do Eggs With Better Quality Taste Better?
Yes, eggs that are of better quality tend to taste better. In the egg business, quality is determined by things inside and outside the business. A good-grade egg has a firm egg white and yolk, the right size and shape, and a germ-free shell.
Freshness is a vital sign of quality because eggs get more sour and bitter over time. Fresher eggs with solid whites and yolks and a germ-free shell are better. Because of this, they often taste better than eggs that aren’t as good.
If You Have A Rooster, Do Your Eggs Taste Better?
No, having a rooster doesn’t change how eggs taste. The chickens’ feed affects the eggs’ taste, not whether or not there is a rooster around. A rooster isn’t needed to make eggs, but having one can keep less aggressive hens from taking over the flock. This makes it easier for the hens to lay their eggs properly.
Also, if there is a rooster in the group, it can be easier to tell which eggs have been fertilized and which have not since the rooster is the one who fertilizes the eggs. Rooster or no rooster, the eggs are usually the same size, form, and taste.
How Does A Farmer Know If An Egg Has Been Fertilized?
A farmer can use a candle to tell if an egg has been fertilized. You can do this by putting the egg up to a bright light and looking through its shell. The blood vessels of a growing embryo make a pattern inside the shell of a fertilized egg that looks like a spider web. This pattern is called a “blood ring.”
If the middle of the egg is light white, it has not been fertilized. If the egg is fertilized, a careful look should also show the dark shadow of a growing chick inside. Based on how the shell looks, a farmer with a lot of experience can tell with a good deal of accuracy which eggs have been fertilized.
When You Eat A Fertilized Egg, What Do You Call It?
Eating fertile eggs is called “balut” or “ballot.” It is famous for street food in the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam, among other places in Southeast Asia. Most of the time, the fertilized eggs are from ducks, and they need to be incubated for a few days before the embryo has grown enough to be eaten. The time it takes to hatch depends on where you are, but a balut egg is usually easy to spot because of its shape and feel.
Balut is usually cooked in water before it is eaten, and spices may also be added. Balut can contain anything from a nearly completely formed creature to a fully-formed embryo with feathers, bones, and other parts. It can be soft or hard, depending on the egg’s length in the incubator.
In some places, balut is suitable for your health and has even been used as a health tonic. Some people consider it a local treat.