Why does Trader Joe's sell fertilized eggs? (2024)

Why does Trader Joe's sell fertilized eggs?

Occasionally, a rooster will manage to find its way to the hens anyway, leading to some of them laying fertilized eggs. Since Trader Joe's knowingly sells fertilized eggs, this more than likely indicates that its eggs come from free-range chickens.

Why are fertilized eggs better for you?

There is no nutritional difference in fertilized eggs and infertile eggs. Most eggs sold today are infertile; roosters are not housed with the laying hens. If the eggs are fertile and cell development is detected during the candling process, they are removed from commerce.

Can I hatch Trader Joe's eggs?

As such, these eggs are fertilized as normal. So in all likelihood (especially considering they have video evidence), both Bowie and Dornik are being truthful: They did, in fact, hatch chickens from Trader Joe's eggs.

Are grocery store eggs ever fertilized?

The eggs that you get in a grocery are not fertile eggs. To produce a fertile egg, a rooster (male chicken) must be present and in grocery store production facilities this is simply not the case.

Are fertilized eggs sold in stores?

Most eggs sold commercially in the grocery store are from poultry farms and have not been fertilized. In fact, laying hens at most commercial farms have never even seen a rooster. Given the right nutrients, hens will lay eggs with or without having been in the presence of a rooster.

Is it better to eat fertilized or unfertilized eggs?

“Fertile and infertile chicken eggs are all safe to eat. The only difference is whether there is sperm or not in it,” Dwi explained. While related to the nutritional value of chicken eggs, he mentioned chicken eggs are rich in nutritional value, especially high-value protein.

Where do Trader Joe's eggs come from?

So let's get into some details about Trader Joe's pasture raised eggs. The hens live on a network of farms on the east coast that seems to be clustered in Virginia. They are Certified Humane, which means that each hen must have access to at least 108 square feet of outdoor space for at least 6 hours per day.

Are Trader Joe's eggs fertile?

Trader Joe's describes their fertile eggs as ones that were “laid by hens in contact with roosters.” That doesn't necessarily mean every egg in the carton can hatch. Of the dozen that were incubated in the TikTok, only four yielded chicks.

What breed are Trader Joe's fertilized eggs?

Occasionally, a rooster will manage to find its way to the hens anyway, leading to some of them laying fertilized eggs. Since Trader Joe's knowingly sells fertilized eggs, this more than likely indicates that its eggs come from free-range chickens.

Does Trader Joe's still sell fertile eggs?

While most grocery stores sell unfertilized eggs, meaning that hens were not in contact with roosters, Trader Joe's does sell dozen cartons of fertile eggs. This means that they do have the possibility of hatching if properly incubated. However, you can eat these fertilized eggs with no problems.

How do you tell if an egg is fertilized?

Did you know you can determine if an egg is fertile or not by looking at the germ spot? The germ spot is the white spot on the yolk. The non-fertile germ spot contains only the female's cells and looks like a solid white spot. In a fertile egg the germ spot contains both the female and male cells.

What percent of grocery store eggs are fertilized?

The vast majority (87 percent) of eggs produced in the United States are unfertilized table eggs. These eggs are produced for consumption and are what you will find sold at the grocery store. Conversely, only 13 percent of eggs are fertilized, or hatching eggs, which are used for producing chickens.

How old are supermarket eggs when you buy them?

Here's What Fresh Eggs Daily Tells Us:

By law, an egg can be sold for up to 30 days after the date it was put in the carton. And farmers have up to 30 days to go from when the egg is laid to the carton. That means those supermarket eggs can be two months old by the time you buy them.

Does Costco sell fertilized eggs?

Costco eggs are not fertilized, so they will never hatch no matter what you do or don't do to them. That said, if you did have fertile eggs, while refrigeration will harm hatch rates, it takes a long time to make them zero.

Can refrigerated eggs hatch?

As long as they are fertile, you can get refrigerated eggs to hatch but your hatch rate (how many eggs hatch) will be much lower. So if you had 12 refrigerated, fertile eggs, maybe 2-4 will hatch.

Does Trader Joe's sell eggs?

With regard to eggs, we offer a range of choices from both “conventional” and “cage-free” sources.

Why can't you eat fertilized eggs?

According to the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service, you can eat fertile eggs, but they do not provide any more nutritional value than non-fertilized eggs. The website also states, "Most eggs sold today are infertile; roosters are not housed with the laying hens.

What happens if you cook a fertilized egg?

Fertilized eggs are fine to eat, in fact some people claim they healthier than unfertilized eggs, although we've never seen any data supporting that. (Let's be honest; if the fertile egg is fresh and unincubated, you're going to have the addition of just half a cell.)

Why do fresh eggs have blood spots?

The cause of a blood spot is simply a ruptured blood vessel on the yolk's surface as the egg is forming. This is a natural, benign process for both hen and egg. Instances of blood spots can increase when hens in a flock get excited by changes in lighting, changes in temperature, or simply shifting seasons.

Why are Trader Joe's eggs so cheap?

In a time when kitchen essentials like eggs and milk have skyrocketed in price, Trader Joe's stores have largely weathered the storm of inflation. Because of their direct relationship with suppliers and curated stock, the chain manages to keep prices low.

What brand are Costco eggs?

This brand is a private label, or store brand. Grocers or distributors will buy their eggs wholesale and re-label them under their own brand name.

Does Costco sell pastured eggs?

Vital Farms Large Eggs, Pasture-Raised, 15 Dozen | Costco.

Who supplies Kirkland eggs?

Kirkland Signature may be supplied in part by Wilcox Family Farms (cage-free organic). Brands that have close daily control over their egg production receive the most points. Brands that only produce organic products make the biggest investments — in time and money — in systems that benefit us all.

How long are Trader Joe's eggs good for?

Always purchase eggs before the "Sell-By" or "EXP'" date on the carton. After the eggs reach home, refrigerate the eggs in their original carton and place them in the coldest part of the refrigerator, not in the door. For best quality, use eggs within 3 to 5 weeks of the date you purchase them.

Are Trader Joe's eggs cheaper?

Don't be deceived by the $5.99. As we mentioned above, Costco sells cartons of two-dozen (or 24) eggs, while Aldi and Trader Joe's sell eggs by the dozen. The eggs sold at both Trader Joe's ($3.49) and even Aldi ($3.65 on sale) might seem like they are cheaper — they are lower in price.