Salted eggs that glowed in the dark puzzle group in Aurora

A group of friends in Baler, Aurora was left puzzled after noticing something unusual about their drinking-session snack: their salted eggs appeared to glow in the dark.

According to Kuya Kim’s report on “24 Oras” on Tuesday, the strange incident happened recently while events coordinator France Jose and his group were drinking at a resort in Baler.

“We thought we were just drunk, so maybe that’s why the salted egg was glowing,” France said in Filipino.

The group initially suspected that the unusual appearance could have been caused by improper preservation.

But what could really make a salted egg appear to glow in the dark, and is it safe to eat?

According to Kuya Kim, bioluminescence refers to the light produced by a living organism through a chemical reaction. Two chemicals are needed for this process: luciferin and luciferase.

However, an expert said there are no naturally bioluminescent chicken or duck eggs.

One possible explanation for the glowing salted egg is cross-contamination, in which microorganisms capable of producing light may have been transferred to the food during handling.

“One potential reason is the presence of microbes or microorganisms capable of producing light or what we call bioluminescence. We cannot definitively conclude that bioluminescent microbes are the cause," explained molecular biologist Albert Matthew Pasigui in a mix of Filipino and English.

“However, it is possible that cross-contamination occurred during food handling, where bioluminescent microbes were transferred to the salted egg from other items touched by the food handlers.”

With the identity of the microorganism and the potential health risks unknown, Pasigui advised against eating the unusual-looking egg.

“Since we are uncertain about the identity and potential health risks associated with the food item, which may be contaminated with bioluminescent microbes, it is better to simply avoid eating it.”

Per the report, France and his friends followed the advice and did not consume the salted eggs..

“It couldn't be eaten anymore because it had already gone bad,” France said.

—Jade Veronique Yap/CDC, GMA News