I Thought the White String in My Egg Was Something Dangerous—The Truth Completely Surprised Me

The Shocking Reality of This Photo

While the internet quickly tried to dismiss the photo as just a "huge chalaza," poultry scientists and veterinarians recognize this as a textbook example of a rare biological anomaly: an adult poultry roundworm known as Ascaridia galli.

How on earth does a roundworm end up inside a completely sealed, intact commercial egg? It comes down to a freak navigational error inside the hen:

1. The Normal Habitat: Ascaridia galli is a common intestinal parasite found in chickens, particularly those raised in free-range or organic environments where they scratch in the dirt.

2. 
   

   The "Erratic Migration": On very rare occasions, an adult worm will wander out of the chicken's digestive tract and migrate into the adjacent reproductive tract (the oviduct).

3. 
   

   The Trapped Guest: If a worm is lounging in the oviduct when the hen's body begins building an egg, the egg white (albumen) forms right over it. The shell is then baked on top, trapping the worm inside a perfect, pristine-looking egg.

Is It Dangerous to Humans?

If you ever crack open an egg and see a massive, noodle-like structure like the one.

The good news is that Ascaridia galli is not zoonotic, meaning it cannot infect humans or live inside a human body. Even if a person accidentally ingested a cooked one, it wouldn't cause a parasitic infection.

However, because a worm migrating from the intestine can mechanically carry enteric bacteria (like Salmonella) into the egg white, consuming an egg like this presents a significant food poisoning risk. Toss it out immediately, wash the dish thoroughly, and grab a new egg.

Quick Guide: Chalaza vs. Something Bad