How many pores does an egg have

Nucleus of pander -- a plug of whitish yolk, with no particular significance for development and whose function is purely a nutritive one, like the rest of the yolk.

See: Int. Schmitt S. Germinal disk blastoderm -- a small, circular, white spot mm across on the surface of the yolk; it is where the sperm enters the egg. The nucleus of the egg is in the blastodisc. The embryo develops from this disk, and gradually sends blood vessels into the yolk to use it for nutrition as the embryo develops.

Yellow yolk -- a major source of vitamins, minerals, almost half of the protein, and all of the fat and cholesterol. The yolk contains less water and more protein than the white, some fat, and most of the vitamins and minerals of the egg.

These include iron, vitamin A, vitamin D, phosphorus, calcium, thiamine, and riboflavin. The yolk is also a source of lecithin, an effective emulsifier. Yolk color ranges from just a hint of yellow to a magnificent deep orange, according to the feed and breed of the hen.

White yolk -- Also known as, the latebra is an area of white yolk located in the center of the yolk. These bacteria are very difficult to remove, as only a gas will be able to penetrate into the pores and kill bacteria. A liquid detergent, even when sprayed in a fine mist, will not be very effective against these bacteria as the pores are simpy too small for the liquid to penetrate, and the polarity of the liquid droplets will bind them to the egg shell and prevent them from penetraring further into the pores.

As the bacteria penetrate into the pores during the cooling process, it means that it is of utmost importance that eggs are produced in a clean environment. A dirty nest or litter will bring bacteria close to the egg with the risk of being sucked into the pores, even if the egg by itself looks clean.

This means that a floor egg is by definition a dirty egg, even when it is visually clean. The chicken egg has more than 7, pores in its shell to allow this to happen! These pores also allow water to go through the shell, which is why the dye appears as small dots on the inside of the shell, often clustered in certain areas, and why an egg after being hard-boiled would weigh slightly more than when it was raw.

Also, freshly laid eggs do not allow water to penetrate as well as older, commercial eggs do, so fewer blue spots will probably be visible on the inside of fresher eggs compared with older ones. Cleanup Dispose of the raw eggs by pouring them down the drain. The eggs should not be eaten because they were soaked with dishwater detergent. Thoroughly clean any surface the raw eggs touched because they can carry salmonella.

Already a subscriber? Sign in. Thanks for reading Scientific American. Create your free account or Sign in to continue. See Subscription Options. Go Paperless with Digital. Key concepts Biology Respiration Porosity Food science Introduction Have you ever wondered how an unborn chick breathes inside its shell? Build a Cooler. Get smart. Sign up for our email newsletter. Sign Up. These trumpet-shaped ducts are microscopic.

Their number and effective pore radius increase with egg mass from ca. The total volume of all the gases that diffuse through these pores is large.