Understanding Food

Amy Brown
Chapter 13:
Eggs

Composition of Eggs
Just a few examples
of how eggs are used
in food preparation:
Structure
Thickening
Color
Emulsifying

Leavening
Binding
Coating
Glazing
Clarifying

Composition of Eggs
The egg has five major
components:
Yolk
Albumen (egg white)
Shell membranes
Air cell
Shell

Purchasing Eggs
Inspection
The Egg Products Inspection Act of 1970
requires that egg processing plants be
inspected and that their eggs and egg
products be:

Wholesome
Unadulterated
Truthfully labeled

Purchasing Eggs
Grading
The best-quality eggs are graded
USDA Grade AA, followed by USDA
Grade A.
USDA Grade B, the lowest grade.

Purchasing Eggs

Sizing is not related to grading in any way.

Eggs are sold in cartons by various sizes determined by
a minimum weight for a dozen eggs in their shell.

Functions of Eggs in Foods

Eggs are often combined with other ingredients.
Their unique ability to:
Flavor
Color
Emulsify
Thicken
Bind
Foam
Interfere
Clarify
makes them nearly indispensable in cooking.

Preparation of Eggs
Changes in Prepared Eggs
The key to cooking eggs is to keep
the temperature low and/or the
cooking time short.
Egg whites and yolks coagulate at
different temperatures.

Storage of Eggs
Eggs begin to deteriorate as soon
as they are laid and lose quality
very rapidly at room temperature.
An egg will age more in one day at
room temperature than in one
week in the refrigerator.

Storage of Eggs

The size of an eggs air cell provides another indication

of its age.

Storage of Eggs
Frozen
Freezing a whole egg is not possible
because it will crack under the expanding
liquids.
Food manufacturers solve this dilemma by
breaking the eggs open at the processing
plants where the contents are frozen
Whole (whites and yolk mixed together)
Separated as whites or yolks

Storage of Eggs
Safety Tips
The chances of an egg being
internally contaminated are relatively
low, less than one in 10,000
commercial eggs.
It is more common for contamination
to occur during handling and
preparation after the egg has been
removed from its shell.