ABSTRACT
Composition and properties of egg white Kaustav Majumder, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, USAand Yoshinori Mine, University of Guelph, Canada
1 Introduction
2 The structure of egg white
3 Proteins in egg white: an overview
4 Ovalbumin
5 Ovotransferrin
6 Ovomucoid
7 Ovomucin
8 Lysozyme
9 Minor proteins in egg white
10 Carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins in egg white
11 Summary
12 Where to look for further information
13 References
Since the beginning of human civilization, chicken eggs have been a staple food in the human diet. Egg production and consumption have evolved over time, from collection of eggs from the nest of wild fowls by hunter-gatherers to domesticated chickens, then to modern-day genetically selected birds raised by poultry farmers. As analytical technology developed after the twentieth century, the functional properties and chemical composition of avian eggs have been intensively studied, and most of these studies have focused on the eggs produced by the domestic chicken in commercial poultry farms. Eggs are the most economical and abundant source of high-quality dietary protein. Therefore, it is important to understand the fundamental chemistry and chemical composition of the egg. Eggs are consumed throughout the world among different cultures, irrespective of their race and religion, as one of the prime sources of essential nutrition for human development.
