Have you ever cracked open an egg only to find a tiny red spot inside? If so, what was your reaction? Did you throw the egg away, or go ahead and use it anyway?

Many people are unsure about the safety of eggs with blood spots. In this article, we’ll explore why they appear, what they mean, and whether or not it’s safe to eat those eggs.

Is It Safe to Eat Eggs With Blood Spots?

Absolutely. Eggs that contain blood spots are still safe to eat, as long as they’re cooked properly. These spots are harmless and won’t cause any health issues. If you find them unappealing, you can simply remove the spot with a knife tip before cooking—this is purely for visual preference.

Sometimes, you might also spot brown meat specks in the egg white. These are tiny bits of tissue that attach to the egg as it travels through the hen’s oviduct. Like blood spots, they pose no health risk. However, if you notice that the egg white has a pink, red, or green tint, it’s best to toss the egg, as that could signal bacterial contamination.

How Often Do Blood Spots Show Up in Eggs?

Less than 1% of eggs contain blood spots, and you’re unlikely to find one in store-bought eggs. Commercial producers use a technique called candling—shining a light through the eggs—to identify and remove imperfect ones before they reach shelves. Although harmless, blood spots are usually filtered out because they might turn off consumers.

However, if you eat fresh eggs directly from a farm, you may see them more frequently. That’s because farm eggs don’t usually go through the same screening process. Brown eggs are also slightly more likely to have blood spots, since their darker shells make it harder to spot imperfections during candling.