Is Yolk Color Linked To Egg Quality? Here’S What Experts Say

When you crack open an egg, the color of the yolk can be a surprise. You might see bright orange instead of the usual pale yellow, or vice versa. With Americans consuming an average of nearly 300 eggs each year, it’s likely you’ll encounter a yolk color that seems unusual to you.

While experts say that an orange yolk isn’t necessarily better than a yellow one, the color can reveal how the hen was raised. We spoke with four poultry experts to explain the meaning behind different yolk colors.

What Are the Different Egg Yolk Colors?

Egg yolks can range in color from almost white to deep red, though such extremes are rare, according to Richard Blatchford, PhD, a poultry researcher at UC Davis. Most grocery store eggs tend to have a yellow or pale orange yolk, with variations within these colors.

In the poultry industry, experts use the DSM Yolk Color Fan, a 16-point scale, to classify yolk colors. Number 1 represents a pale yellow, while number 16 is a deep orange. “People often prefer yolks with darker, richer colors,” says Blatchford.

What Affects Egg Yolk Color?

Several factors influence the color of an egg yolk, with diet playing the most significant role, explains Sunoh Che, PhD, a poultry management expert at the University of Maryland. The main factors include:

• Feed Composition: The presence of yellow-orange pigments like lutein from alfalfa meal and zeaxanthin from marigold petals significantly affects yolk color.
• Corn in the Diet: A corn-based diet is common for hens producing grocery store eggs, resulting in a yellow yolk.
• Xanthophyll Content: Xanthophyll, a yellow compound found in leaves and grains, can alter the yolk’s color, depending on the plants hens consume.
• Access to Pasture: Hens that forage on fresh grass and insects often produce eggs with more vibrant yolks, due to a diverse diet rich in carotenoids and xanthophyll.

What Does the Yolk Color Tell You?

The color of your egg yolk reflects the hen’s diet and environment. For example:

• Pale Yellow: This suggests the hen’s diet mainly consisted of wheat, barley, or white cornmeal.
• Bright Yellow: A bright yellow or yellow-orange yolk indicates the hen likely ate a lot of corn or alfalfa meal.
• Orange: Orange yolks are often a result of adding marigold petals or red pepper to the feed. A deep orange color may also indicate that the hen had access to fresh pasture for foraging.

Seasonal changes also play a role. Hens tend to forage more in spring and summer, which can lead to deeper orange yolks.

Although some believe that older hens produce darker yolks, the relationship between a hen’s age and yolk color remains unclear.

Do Orange Yolks Mean Better Nutrition?

Yolk color doesn’t directly correlate to nutritional value. “The nutritional content of an egg depends more on the hen’s diet, breed, and environment than the color of the yolk,” says Che. Eggs from pasture-raised hens, which have a varied diet, tend to be more nutritious, especially in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins.

However, yolk color can indicate carotenoid levels, which are linked to good eye health and reduced risk of disease. Deeper orange yolks generally contain more carotenoids, but beyond that, the nutritional value of the egg remains the same.

Do Orange Yolk Eggs Taste Better?

While flavor is subjective, eggs from hens with access to a pasture tend to have richer, more flavorful yolks. These hens eat a diverse diet that includes bugs, grass, and plant material, enhancing the flavor. “Eggs from happy hens that forage are generally more flavorful,” says Breana Killeen, a senior food editor who raises hens at Killeen Crossroads Farm in Vermont.

For the best-tasting eggs, opt for those labeled pasture-raised or buy directly from local farmers.

In conclusion, while the color of your egg yolk may be surprising, it’s a reflection of the hen’s diet and environment, not necessarily its nutritional content. Whether you prefer a yellow or orange yolk, rest assured that the eggs are rich in essential nutrients.