Are Brown Spots the Same as Blood Spots?

I have noticed that brown eggs often have brown spots. Are these the same as blood spots?

What you are noticing are most likely protein spots. Approximately 20% of brown eggs have protein spots which are only found in the egg white (albumen). Some of the pigment excreted by the chicken to color the shell, leaks into the egg white and collects in clumps.  These colored clumps are, at times, quite large and have a reddish brown color. In other cases, the protein spots are just “specks” that look like someone sprinkled red glitter into the egg.  Testing of protein spots shows that they contain no blood cells and aren’t blood.  Rav Belsky, zt”l, said that protein spots are halachically permitted and are not included in any minhag.

The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt”l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.