Egg facts

Two yolks in an egg? Is it safe to eat?

What causes the double yolk, is it safe?

In an egg you would usually find one yolk and the egg white. But sometimes you find two yolks. So, when you see an egg with double yolks, is it safe to eat?

The answer is that it’s not only perfectly safe to eat.

So, what causes the double yolk?

A double yolk occurs in an egg when a chicken releases two yolks into the same shell. Double yolks are usually produced by young chickens. Since their reproductive systems have not fully matured, they periodically release two yolks instead of one. Double yolks can also come from older chickens nearing the end of their egg producing period.

A double yolk is just one unusual occurrence in the internal appearance of an egg. The appearance of eggs may be related to food safety but often is not, and some frequently asked questions have answers on a number of internal irregularities in eggs and what they mean.

“Double-yolked eggs are safe to eat and are usually longer and larger than a single-yolked egg.” When considering the nutritional value of a double egg, remember the yolk is a nutrient goldmine, with 13 essential vitamins and minerals, as well as 40% of the eggs’ high-quality protein.

But does a double yolk mean double the nutrition? Not quite. In most cases, each of the yolks in an egg are smaller than a fully formed single yolk. While the exact nutritional profile of double yolk eggs may vary slightly, it is likely to be similar to that of a jumbo egg.

Source: eggsafety.org; ENC-Egg Nutrition Center