Rotten Egg Fever: Is It a 'Miracle Cure' as Rumored?

Half-hatched chicken eggs, also known as rotten chicken eggs, are a type of waste in animal husbandry that is often thrown away. However, in recent years, this type of egg has suddenly become a "fever" and is being sold "vigorously" on many online forums.

To attract customers, many sellers advertise that half-hatched eggs are rich in nutrients and contain a lot of protein, so they are very nutritious and good for health. They are even considered a “viagra miracle drug” for men. At an online shopping site, rotten eggs are sold at a fairly cheap price of only 20,000 - 25,000 VND/dozen.

Along with the eye-catching images posted, the seller did not hesitate to introduce that these are free-range eggs, selected from the incubator so the quality is guaranteed, ready to "exchange 1 for 1" for eggs that smell or are severely damaged. This person affirmed: "Badly incubated eggs are very delicious, fatty, and just right. This type of egg is very nutritious and extremely good for health."

Half-hatched chicken eggs are sold quite a lot on online shopping sites for only 20,000 - 25,000 VND/dozen. Many traders said that half-hatched chicken eggs sell very well and are popular with many people.

Similarly, on an online marketplace, a seller also introduced, “these are eggs from the home incubator”, “just right to eat” and can be preserved for about 15 days.

This person wrote: “Every week, my family receives wholesale and retail of half-hatched eggs to the provinces in large quantities. The quality of the eggs is very good. I guarantee and guarantee it for everyone. If anyone wants to buy, please place an order so that I can collect the orders and deliver the goods to everyone.” Right below the post, many people left comments, phone numbers and placed orders. Many people even bought large quantities of up to hundreds of eggs to eat gradually.

Contacting a source who claimed to be a wholesaler of half-hatched chicken eggs in Hanoi, this person said that the goods are currently scarce and that if you want to buy them, you have to order 2-3 days in advance. “This is the cold season so this type of egg is very popular, the incubators are not available so we have to collect from many places to have enough quantity. I usually receive orders and post the goods on Thursdays and Sundays every week, but they are not always available.”

This trader also said that previously this type of egg was only sold to some pubs or cheap restaurants, however recently, half-hatched eggs have suddenly become a specialty dish, sought after by many people, and sold out as soon as they arrive. On average, this trader said he sells thousands of eggs each week, mainly in Hanoi and wholesale and retail to neighboring provinces.

When asked about the quality and origin of this type of chicken egg, the seller confidently affirmed: “This type of egg is not rotten, the yolk still has a rich, fatty taste. These are eggs from chickens that eat rice and are then brought to incubators, so they are very nutritious.”

However, contrary to the flowery advertisements on forums, Mr. Truong - the owner of a chicken farm in Hung Yen said that half-incubated chicken eggs are actually eggs with damaged embryos that cannot hatch into chicks. During the incubation process, the owners will proactively screen and remove unqualified eggs.

“When boiled, half-hatched eggs will have a runny yolk like bean curd and a crunchy white like coconut pulp. This type of egg is usually screened by owners after 9-10 days of incubation if it does not meet the requirements. Many people like to eat half-hatched eggs because they have a characteristic rich, fatty taste,” said Mr. Truong.

One of the social networking sites selling rotten eggs.

The owner of this chicken farm also said that this type of egg does not actually have the good nutritional value as rumored. Previously, his family members often saved half-hatched eggs to eat or use as snacks when having guests, but recently they have limited it a lot and almost never use it.

“In fact, these are spoiled eggs, containing many transformed toxins, so now I mainly use them as animal feed and don't dare eat them anymore,” said Mr. Truong.

Incubators and half-hatched eggs will be screened and classified by the owners and then sold wholesale to traders at a fairly cheap price of only 500 - 800 VND/egg. This type of egg, when fried, still has a yellow color and a rich aroma that is difficult to detect if you are not a gourmet. Therefore, in addition to selling on online sales sites, many traders also sell wholesale to popular restaurants.

Discussing this issue, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Duy Thinh - Institute of Biotechnology and Food (Hanoi University of Science and Technology) affirmed that half-hatched eggs are actually spoiled eggs, no longer have nutrients or any medicinal effects as rumored.

This expert also said that even when half-hatched eggs are processed into dishes such as boiled or fried, there is still a risk of affecting health. "If eaten in large quantities, consumers are at risk of poisoning, bloating, even vomiting and diarrhea. The best way to protect health is to eat clean, fresh and new eggs, and absolutely do not believe in online advertisements to bring diseases into the body," said this expert.

According to dantri