CONTENT
Chemical Composition of Chicken Egg: Proteins, Lipids and Amino Acids
Chicken eggs are highly nutritious and contain a diverse range of chemical components, including proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, minerals, and water. The chemical composition varies among the yolk, albumen, shell, and shell membranes.
This article provides an overview of the major components of chicken eggs, with detailed information on albumen proteins, yolk lipids, fatty acids, and amino acid composition.
Major Components of Chicken Egg (%)
| Component | Whole Egg | Egg Contents | Yolk | Albumen | Shell and Its Membranes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | 65.5 | 74.0 | 49.0 | 87.6 | 2.0 |
| Protein | 12.1 | 13.0 | 16.7 | 10.6 | 4.5 |
| Lipids | 10.5 | 11.0 | 32.3 | 0.1 | — |
| Carbohydrates (Sugar) | 0.9 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — |
| Ash, Minerals, or Inorganic Matter | 11.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 93.5 |
| Total | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 |
Major Proteins in Chicken Egg Albumen (%)
| S. No. | Name of the Albumen Protein | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Ovalbumin | 54.0 |
| 2. | Conalbumin | 12.0 |
| 3. | Ovomucoid | 11.0 |
| 4. | G2, G3 Ovoglobulins | 8.0 |
| 5. | Lysozyme (G1-globulin) | 3.4 |
| 6. | Ovomucin | 3.5 |
| 7. | Ovoflavoprotein | 0.8 |
| 8. | Ovomacroglobulin | 0.5 |
| 9. | Ovoinhibitor | 1.5 |
| 10. | Avidin | 0.05 |
| 11. | Cystatin | 0.05 |
Egg Yolk Lipid Composition
| S. No. | Name of the Yolk Lipid | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Triglycerides or true fat | 63.1 |
| 2. | Phospholipids | 29.7 |
| 3. | Free cholesterol | 4.9 |
| 4. | Cholesteryl esters | 1.3 |
| 5. | Free fatty acids | 0.7 |
| 6. | Glycolipids or cerebrosides (Ovokerasin & Ovophrenasin) | 0.1 |
| 7. | Fat-soluble vitamins | Traces |
| Total | 100.0 |
Lipid Composition of the Chicken Egg
| Fatty Acids (in grams) | White | Yolk |
|---|---|---|
| Saturated, total | 0 | 1.950 |
| 8:0 Caprylic acid | 0 | 0.027 |
| 10:0 Capric acid | 0 | 0.080 |
| 12:0 Lauric acid | 0 | 0.026 |
| 14:0 Myristic acid | 0 | 0.022 |
| 16:0 Palmitic acid | 0 | 1.310 |
| 18:0 Stearic acid | 0 | 0.459 |
| 20:0 Arachidonic acid | 0 | 0.022 |
| Monounsaturated, total | 0 | 2.500 |
| 14:1 Myristoleic acid | 0 | 0.005 |
| 16:1 (N-7) Palmitoleic acid | 0 | 0.211 |
| 18:1 (N-9) Oleic acid | 0 | 2.280 |
| Polyunsaturated, total | 0 | 0.720 |
| 18:2 (N-6) Linoleic acid | 0 | 0.650 |
| 18:3 (N-3) Linolenic acid | 0 | 0.011 |
| 20:1 (N-11) Gadoleic acid | 0 | 0.051 |
| Cholesterol | 0 | 0.213 |
| Lecithin | 0 | 1.220 |
| Cephalin | 0 | 0.241 |
Based on a 60.9 g shell egg weight, with 55.1 g of total liquid whole egg, 38.4 g of egg white, and 16.7 g of yolk, containing 24.1%, 12.1%, and 51.8% solids, respectively.
Amino Acid Content of the Chicken Egg (Without the Shell)
| Amino Acid (g) | Whole Egg | Albumen | Yolk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alanine | 0.38 | 0.24 | 0.14 |
| Arginine | 0.42 | 0.23 | 0.19 |
| Aspartic acid | 0.65 | 0.40 | 0.25 |
| Cystine | 0.15 | 0.11 | 0.05 |
| Glutamic acid | 0.85 | 0.52 | 0.33 |
| Glycine | 0.22 | 0.14 | 0.08 |
| Histidine | 0.16 | 0.09 | 0.07 |
| Isoleucine | 0.36 | 0.21 | 0.15 |
| Leucine | 0.57 | 0.33 | 0.24 |
| Lysine | 0.45 | 0.25 | 0.20 |
| Methionine | 0.21 | 0.15 | 0.60 |
| Phenylalanine | 0.35 | 0.23 | 0.12 |
| Proline | 0.26 | 0.15 | 0.11 |
| Serine | 0.50 | 0.27 | 0.23 |
| Threonine | 0.32 | 0.18 | 0.14 |
| Tryptophan | 0.11 | 0.70 | 0.40 |
| Tyrosine | 0.28 | 0.16 | 0.12 |
| Valine | 0.43 | 0.27 | 0.16 |
Based on a 60.9 g shell egg weight, with 55.1 g of total liquid whole egg, 38.4 g of egg white, and 16.7 g of yolk, containing 24.1%, 12.1%, and 51.8% solids, respectively.
