What Are Those Weird White Strings Inside A Raw Egg?

What Are Those Weird White Strings Inside A Raw Egg?

Those little white strings, or chalazae, are what secure the yolk to the inside of the eggshell. They also indicate the age of the egg:

When a chalaza first starts to form, it appears as a thin straight line. As the egg moves around, the yolk forces the string to twist, being held in its twisted state by the weight of the yolk. As the egg ages, these twisted strings become increasingly more difficult to see. With a truly fresh egg, you may be lucky enough to even see multiple chalazae. However, these strings only denote the freshness of the egg, not the overall quality or how it was raised. It’s also important to look closely at the air cell between the egg shell and the egg membrane. The larger this air sack, the older the egg.

If you're wondering if it's safe to eat chalazae, then wonder no more! They may look funny but are absolutely harmless and typically don't affect the flavor of the food they're used in. Still, you can remove them if you prefer.

A common question regarding chalaza is whether or not you can eat the strings. It’s important to note that these strings are not harmful and are completely edible. In most dishes you’ll be unable to tell they are present, such as with scrambled eggs or baked products. However, many chefs choose to strain them out for certain applications where a smooth texture is crucial for their finished product, such as with custards.

We'd noticed those little white strings in our eggs, and kind of wondered what they were but never really thought too much about it. After all, a lot of foods look strange when you see them uncooked or up-close. We're really glad we too the time to learn about this strange feature of eggs, however, because it just makes us appreciate this incredible food even more!

Article Source: Positive Med

 





41 Comments

  1. Janice Slaughter
    Janice Slaughter March 30, 14:29

    I always thought those were the baby chickens zygote formation. Years and years and YEARS ago… at least 40…. I actually cracked an egg that had a tiny (bout 3/4 inch) chicken in it. Only the head and body were formed.

    Reply to this comment
  2. Dria MochaLove Cochran
    Dria MochaLove Cochran April 22, 23:03

    Kendall Johnson Rena Johnson

    Reply to this comment
  3. Quazy No Filter Rod
    Quazy No Filter Rod April 22, 23:07

    I always rip them off looks like sperm

    Reply to this comment
  4. Imani Dickey
    Imani Dickey April 23, 04:04

    Chicken fetus

    Reply to this comment
  5. Loretta Bruley Doescher
    Loretta Bruley Doescher April 27, 19:51

    I always take them off.

    Reply to this comment
  6. Penny Dee Williams
    Penny Dee Williams April 28, 12:33

    Rooster sperm

    Reply to this comment
  7. Debbie Vanna
    Debbie Vanna April 29, 11:00

    Really??? You people will suck on a prison to eat their$#%&!@*but have questions about this??? LMAO

    Reply to this comment
  8. Phyllis Howell King
    Phyllis Howell King April 29, 15:29

    I always pinched them off… thinking it could be a baby chick…I will still take them off!!

    Reply to this comment
  9. Joann Wooten
    Joann Wooten May 01, 22:02

    Always remove them

    Reply to this comment
  10. Jack Hutson
    Jack Hutson June 07, 21:30

    I may not want to know.

    Reply to this comment
  11. Sharon Paoni
    Sharon Paoni June 08, 00:01

    Where baby chicks R hatched from

    Reply to this comment
  12. Barbi Falk
    Barbi Falk June 08, 01:30

    Ewwww..I always remove that

    Reply to this comment
  13. Sue Rodriguez
    Sue Rodriguez June 08, 16:41

    I watch the food channel every Saturday and I never see them remove anything from the egg. They just dump them in whatever they’re making and mix. So guess it’s okay.

    Reply to this comment
  14. Stacey Marie Cavallo
    Stacey Marie Cavallo October 26, 03:04

    Connie I can’t believe we were just talking about this & now it’s on my wall.

    Reply to this comment
  15. Darla Hilton-Gurkins
    Darla Hilton-Gurkins October 26, 05:07

    Click bait, the white strands are nothing, you’ve been eating them your whole life. Next…

    Reply to this comment
  16. Connie Chichuk
    Connie Chichuk October 26, 05:12

    That is too funny! Now maybe Steve will actually eat them.

    Reply to this comment
  17. Steve Chichuk
    Steve Chichuk October 26, 05:15

    Uh, no.

    Reply to this comment
  18. Stacey Marie Cavallo
    Stacey Marie Cavallo October 26, 09:19

    I figured! We thought it maybe an umbilical cord, we were wrong! Lol!

    Reply to this comment
  19. Stacey Marie Cavallo
    Stacey Marie Cavallo October 26, 09:20

    Not Steve! And now we know what it is.

    Reply to this comment
  20. Dawn Bennett
    Dawn Bennett October 26, 11:01

    I have ALWAYS taken those out when I cook. I’ve been made fun of more than once, but I figure if I’m taking them out and not insisting anyone else do it, mind your own business.

    Reply to this comment
  21. Jeffrey Grigsby
    Jeffrey Grigsby October 26, 16:33

    Rooster s***n

    Reply to this comment
  22. Nea Zim
    Nea Zim December 28, 08:04

    anyone that knows some biology doesn’t have to ask….

    Reply to this comment
  23. Ray Martinez
    Ray Martinez December 28, 08:31

    It’s the chicken

    Reply to this comment
  24. Patricia I. Redman
    Patricia I. Redman December 28, 09:46

    Two membranes that connected the yolk to the eggshell membrane.

    Reply to this comment
  25. Nikita May
    Nikita May December 28, 11:52

    This is called the chalazae. It is a ropey strand of egg white which anchors the yolk in place in the center of the thick white. They are neither imperfections nor beginning embryos. The more prominent the chalazae, the fresher the egg.

    Reply to this comment
  26. Emanuel Kj Preston
    Emanuel Kj Preston December 28, 12:06

    What does it do? Can you eat it? U heard it was the male sperm.

    Reply to this comment
  27. Emanuel Kj Preston
    Emanuel Kj Preston December 28, 12:07

    What does it do? Can you eat it? U heard it was the male sperm.

    Reply to this comment
  28. Nikita May
    Nikita May December 28, 12:09

    It’s just part of the egg. Yes, you can eat it.

    Reply to this comment
  29. Monte Goodner
    Monte Goodner December 28, 12:16

    Rooster c*m

    Reply to this comment
  30. Greg DeLong
    Greg DeLong December 28, 12:47

    So which is it? Two lines from the same story: “They could pose a threat to your health if they are consumed.” “It’s important to note that these strings are not harmful and are completely edible.”

    Reply to this comment
  31. Sara Vandenberg
    Sara Vandenberg December 28, 13:25

    No it’s not

    Reply to this comment
  32. Lidia Wielechowski
    Lidia Wielechowski December 28, 14:09

    My mother taught me to remove a thick, white, wormy looking thing from eggs. I always do. The yolk remains intact.

    Reply to this comment
  33. Ella Cobbs
    Ella Cobbs December 28, 17:16

    Also some people call it a rooster!!

    Reply to this comment
  34. Ella Cobbs
    Ella Cobbs December 28, 17:18

    Wen u are baking and it calls for eggs , the white substance will need to be removed from the egg because it will make your pies look kinda of shiny after done!!,but if u like go ahead it’s ok too eat!!!

    Reply to this comment
  35. Diane Jones
    Diane Jones December 28, 20:02

    I always take that string out my eggs cause years ago I was told it was sperm from the chicken

    Reply to this comment
  36. Dianne Jenkins Buckner
    Dianne Jenkins Buckner December 28, 22:44

    I will go to great lengths to take that out. I just always thought it was weird.

    Reply to this comment
  37. Roy St George
    Roy St George December 29, 01:13

    I always order eggs basted lightly, sans “rooster juice” – no runny whites!

    Reply to this comment
  38. PeggyLea Baker
    PeggyLea Baker December 29, 04:53

    Kristine Malone Cassady Shelia Malone Owsiak

    Reply to this comment

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