Omelet wrote:

> The white "string" you describe is normal. It's twisted protein strands
> on either side of the yolk to help keep it centered during incubation.
>
> Said strands are called the Chalaza.
> The older the egg, the less prominent this structure is so it's presence
> is desirable. Blood spots are caused by minor damage to the hens
> reproductive system during egg development and are meaningless.
>
> This particular discussion goes on all the time on Poultry lists. I've
> been on Poultry lists for over 15 years as I used to have my own hens.
>
> http://www.oeuf.ca/en/encyclopedie/oeufnatomie/
>
> A rotten egg will generally smell. If nothing else, the yolk will often
> not be intact on breaking an egg open, and the air space will be either
> larger or gone.

Right.. and isn't a spoiled egg's white often cloudy? It is downright
rare for me to get a questionable egg. Perhaps once a year at most?