An egg is a body consisting of an
ovum surrounded by layers of membranes and an outer casing of some type, which acts to nourish and protect a developing
embryo. Most edible eggs, including
bird eggs and
turtle eggs, consist of a protective, oval
eggshell, the
albumen (egg white), the vitellus (
egg yolk), and various thin membranes. Every part is edible, although the eggshell is generally discarded. Nutritionally, eggs are considered a good source of
protein.
Roe and
caviar are edible eggs produced by
fish.
A chicken egg, the type of egg most commonly used as food by humans.
Egg uses as food ingredients
Bird 'eggs' are a common
food source. The most commonly used bird
eggs are those from the
chicken,
duck, and
goose, but smaller eggs such as
quail eggs are occasionally used as a gourmet ingredient, as are the largest bird eggs, from
ostriches. Most commercially produced chicken eggs intended for human consumption are unfertilized, since the laying hens are kept without any roosters. Fertile eggs can be purchased and eaten as well, with little nutritional difference. Fertile eggs will not contain a developed embryo, as refrigeration prohibits cellular growth.
Chicken eggs are widely used in many types of cooking. Dishes that use eggs range from both sweet to savoury dishes. Eggs may be
pickled; hard-boiled, scrambeled, fried and refrigerated; or eaten raw, though the latter is not recommended for people who may be susceptible to
salmonella, such as the elderly, the infirm, or pregnant women. In addition, the protein in raw eggs are only 51% bio-available, whereas a cooked egg is nearer 91% bio-available, meaning the protein of cooked eggs is nearly twice as absorbable as the protein from raw eggs.
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A boiled egg can be distinguished from a raw egg without breaking the shell by spinning it. A hard-boiled egg's contents are solid due to the
denaturation of the
protein, allowing it to spin freely, while the
inertia of the liquid contents of a raw egg causes it to stop spinning within approximately three rotations.
Yolk
Egg yolks are used to make
mayonnaise and other dishes high in fat. Egg yolks are important as binding agents in many preparations in European cooking due to the
emulsifying action of
lecithin. This property is crucial for
sauces such as mayonnaise and
Bearnaise,
Hollandaise;
custards such as
crème anglaise,
crème brûlée,
crème caramel, lemon custard, and
key lime pie; and meat dishes such as
pâté and
meatloaf.
White
The albumen, or egg white contains protein but little or no fat. It is used in cooking separately from the yolk, and can be aerated or whipped to a light, fluffy consistency known as soft peaks and stiff peaks. Beaten egg whites are used in desserts such as
meringues and
mousse.
Eggshell
Ground egg shells are sometimes used as a food additive to deliver
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