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Egg white

language culture Maturity 11-13 Next article →

An egg white is the clear liquid found inside an egg.

Chicken egg01 monovular
Chicken egg01 monovular

It is also called albumen, glair, or glaire. In chickens, this liquid forms in the hen's oviduct as the egg passes through. The egg white surrounds the yolk, whether that yolk is fertilized or not. Its main job is to protect the yolk. It also provides nutrition for a growing embryo.

Diagram -2 denaturation
Diagram -2 denaturation

Most of the egg white is actually water. About 90% of it is water, while the other 10% is made of dissolved proteins. These proteins include things like albumin, mucoproteins, and globulins. Unlike the yellow yolk, the white has almost no fat. It also has very little carbohydrate. A large U.S. egg contains about 33 grams of egg white. This includes 3.6 grams of protein and 55 milligrams of sodium.

Blancs d'oeufs battus
Blancs d'oeufs battus

There are many different proteins in the white. Ovalbumin is the most common one at 54%. Other proteins like ovotransferrin and ovomucoid also play important roles. Some proteins, like lysozyme, help fight certain bacteria. You can change the shape of these proteins by using physical stress. This is called denaturation. When you beat the whites with a whisk, the proteins unfold. This process creates a light, airy foam.

Ramos Gin Fizz
Ramos Gin Fizz

Chefs use this foam for many tasty treats. They make light desserts like meringue and mousse. They also use it to make a delicate froth on top of cocktails. In the past, people used egg whites in art. Between 1855 and 1890, artists used them to make albumen prints in photography. People also used egg white as a glue. It helps stick gold leaf to books during gold tooling. It can even be a binder for colors in old manuscripts.

Some people must be careful when eating eggs. A small number of people have an egg allergy. This is more common in infants than in adults. Most children grow out of this allergy by age five. It is also important to cook eggs thoroughly. This helps stop the spread of bacteria like Salmonella. In August 2010, the FDA even had to recall 380 million eggs due to bacteria concerns. However, when eaten safely, egg whites are a great source of protein.

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🖼️ Images & Media (4)
File:Chicken egg01 monovular.jpg
Chicken egg01 monovular.jpg
File:Diagram -2 denaturation.svg
Diagram -2 denaturation.svg
File:Ramos Gin Fizz.jpg
Ramos Gin Fizz.jpg
File:Blancs d'oeufs battus.jpg
Blancs d'oeufs battus.jpg
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