Eggs

2025 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2025-01-23 10:18

The egg is round or oval in shape, consisting of an egg surrounded by layers of membranes and an outer shell that supports and protects the developing embryo and its food reserves. Most eggs for consumption, including those of birds and turtles, consist of a protective, oval eggshell, albumin (egg white), egg yolk, and various thin membranes.

The caviar is too eggsbut from fish. The most popular bird eggs for consumption are those of hens. Duck and goose eggs, quail eggs, and ostrich eggs are considered a delicacy. Seagull eggs are considered a delicacy in England, as well as in some Scandinavian countries, especially in Norway. In some African countries, guinea fowl eggs are common on the market. Pheasant and emu eggs are also perfectly edible, but not widely available.

Bird eggs are a valuable food product in the prehistory of both societies - hunting crops and in times when birds are already domesticated. In Egypt, the tomb of Haremhab, built around 1420 BC, shows an image of a man carrying eggs from ostriches and other large eggs, probably the pelican.

In ancient Rome, eggs were canned by various methods, and eating often began with dishes from eggs. The Romans crushed egg shells on their plate to remove the evil spirits that lurked in them. In the Middle Ages, eggs were banned during Lent.

The egg industry of dried eggs was developed in the 19th century, before the rise of that of frozen eggs. In 1878, a company in St. Louis, Missouri began transforming egg yolk and egg white into light brown flour through a drying process. The production of dried eggs expanded significantly during World War II for use by the US Army and its allies.

Eggs can be prepared marinated, hard-boiled, soft, scrambled, fried and frozen. They can also be eaten raw, but this is not recommended for people who may be particularly sensitive to salmonella, such as the elderly or pregnant women.

In the raw eggs proteins are only 51% bioavailable, while boiled eggs are nearly 91% bioavailable, which means that boiled egg proteins are almost twice as absorbed as those in raw egg white. Egg yolks are an important emulsifier in the kitchen, and the proteins in egg whites can form foam. Crushed eggshells are sometimes used as a dietary supplement to supply calcium.

There are different sizes of eggs, and in Europe, they are defined as follows

very large - over 73 grams, large 63-73 grams, medium 53-63 grams and small - less than 53 grams.

Composition of eggs

Eggs are an extremely good source of protein as well as various other nutrients. Only 1 egg contains 6 g of high quality protein and all 9 essential amino acids. Hens' eggs are the most commonly consumed eggs. They provide all the essential amino acids for humans and provide several vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, riboflavin, folic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, choline, iron, calcium, phosphorus and potassium.

The whole amount of vitamins A, D and E is in the egg yolk. Egg is one of the few natural foods that contains vitamin D. Large egg yolk contains about 60 calories, and egg white contains about 15 calories. A large yolk contains more than two-thirds of the recommended daily dose of 300 mg of cholesterol. Eggs are a very good source of the carotenoids lutein and zexanthin, which are yellow / orange in color.

Selection and storage of eggs

Fresh eggs are those that are at most 7 days old. There are some tricks to determine the quality of the egg and whether it is old or fresh. One of them is to put the eggs in a bowl with salt water (120 g of salt per 1 liter of water). If the chicken products are fresh, they will lie on the bottom horizontally. Older eggs begin to climb higher into the water. If the egg actually floats above the water, it is good to throw it away and not consume it. Usually eggs that are older than 30 days float on the surface of the water with the blunt part up.

When arranging eggs for storage, never wash them beforehand, because their shells become permeable. Arrange them with the sharp part down in cardboard, which allows the air bubble to stay on top. You can wipe them lightly with a towel if there is dirt.

Preserving eggs for consumption is extremely important, as improperly processed eggs can contain salmonella - bacteria that can cause severe food poisoning. The simplest way to preserve an egg is to treat it with salt. Salt releases water from bacteria and mold, preventing their development.

If there is a broken egg, you can keep it in the refrigerator for 2 days, and hard-boiled unpeeled eggs can last up to 4 days. Peeled eggs can be kept cool for up to 24 hours. If you have kissed and you have only yolks left, you can cover them with cold water and keep them in the refrigerator for a few days.

Culinary use of eggs

The use of eggs in cooking is wide and extends to infinite limits. Although vegetarians do not like eggs, these chicken products are the basis of many culinary masterpieces. Their application in confectionery begins with various cakes, pastries, cake fabrics, goes through the cream for them and reaches various small cakes, biscuits and kisses, the last of which are prepared only with proteins.

Eggs are an integral part of many French sauces, tartar sauce, various appetizers, such as stuffed eggs. Buildings for soups and toppings for various pastries, such as moussaka, are unthinkable without eggs. These dietary chicken derivatives are a common addition to salads, etc.

We will give you a few culinary technical tricks when you need to cook with eggs. The egg whites can be easily separated from the shells if you drill a small hole in them or just break the eggs in a funnel - this way the egg white runs out and the yolk stays in the funnel. Each egg should be broken in a separate bowl and then added to the rest to make sure that one spoiled one will not interfere with the other fresh eggs.

When cooking different sauces, creams and dips with eggs, always use fresh. When breaking down proteins, they should be well chilled. You can add a pinch of salt to them and start adding sugar only when the egg whites are white and slightly swollen.

Benefits of eggs

The choline contained in eggs is an important nutrient for brain development and is extremely important in pregnant and lactating women to ensure the healthy development of the fetal brain.

Recently, chickens have also been produced eggswhich are especially rich in omega 3 fatty acids. These eggs are obtained by laying hens fed food containing polyunsaturated fats and kelp.

Eggs are easily digestible food by the body and are especially important for building and renewing its cells. Egg white contains essential amino acids that are in optimal balance. The fat in the protein is mainly polyunsaturated and therefore harmless.

An old culinary belief is that raw eggs are more nutritious and healthy. The question is quite controversial, especially knowing that the useful ingredients of the egg are sufficiently resistant to high temperatures and are preserved after various types of culinary processing.

Eating only one egg a day can prevent macular degeneration due to the carotenoid content of chicken derivatives. Regular consumption of eggs reduces the risk of developing cataracts. There is also scientific evidence that eating a moderate amount of eggs on a regular basis can prevent blood clots and stroke and heart attack.

Due to vitamin D and high levels of sulfur, eggs are useful for maintaining bone density and good appearance of skin and hair. Regular consumption of eggs can make your hair grow noticeably faster and look good. There is evidence that eggs can act preventively in cases of breast cancer.

Harm from eggs

However, the damage from eggs is obvious, especially if you like to overdo their consumption. For people who are prone to atherosclerosis, it is not recommended to eat more than one egg a week. Excessive consumption of these chicken products can lead to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Also, one of the most common food allergies in babies is that of eggs. Allergic reactions to egg whites are more common than those to egg yolks.

Be careful with the consumption of raw eggs, because if it is too high, it can lead to a disease known as biotin beriberi. Raw protein can also lead to various manifestations of allergies, urticaria and eczema.

Of course, food poisoning with raw eggs they can also cause food poisoning, which is more true for ducks and goose eggs. They contain more fat and are often carriers of salmonella infection. In hens' eggs, it is also not uncommon for these infectious conditions to occur.