Structure
1. Shell. The egg ‘s outer covering, the shell, accounts for about 9 to 12 % of its total
weight depending on egg size. The shell is the egg‘s first line of defense against
bacterial contamination. The shell is produced by the shell gland (uterus) of the oviduct,
and has an outer coating, the bloom or cuticle. The cuticle somewhat seals the pores and
is useful in reducing moisture losses and in preventing bacterial penetration of the egg
shell.
2. Air cell. This is the empty space between the white and shell at the large end of the
egg which is barely existent in newly laid egg. When an egg is first laid, it is warm. As it
cools, the contents contract and the inner shell membrane separate from the outer shell
membrane to form the air cell.
3. Albumen/Egg white. Albumen, also called egg white, accounts for most of an egg‘s
liquid weight, about 67%. This is produced by the oviduct and consists of four alternating
layers of thick and thin consistencies. From the yolk outward, they are designated as the
inner thick or chalaziferous white, the inner thin white, the outer thick white and the
outer thin white. The outer thin white is a narrow fluid layer next to the shell membrane.
The outer thick white is a gel
that forms the center of the albumen. The inner thin white is a fluid layer located next to
the yolk. The inner thick white (chalasiferous layer) is a dense, matted, fibrous capsule
terminates on each end in the chalazae, which are twisted in opposite directions and serve
to keep the yolk centered.
4. Chalaza. This is the ropey strands of egg white at both sides of the egg, which anchor
the yolk in place in the center of the thick white. They are sometimes mistaken for egg
imperfections or beginning embryos, which of course they are not. The twist in the
chalaza is meant to keep the germinal disc always on top whichever way the egg may
turn. The more prominent the chalazae the fresher is the egg.
5. Germinal Disc. This is the entrance of the latebra, the channel leading to the center of
the yolk. The germinal disc is barely noticeable as a slight depression on the surface of
the yolk. When the egg is fertilized, sperm enter by way of the germinal disc, travel to the
center and a chick embryo starts to form. Since table eggs arenot fertilized, this is not as
easy to recognize as when the egg is fertilized.
6. Membranes. There are two kinds of membranes, one just under the shell and the other
covering the yolk. These are the shell membrane and the vitelline membrane. Just inside
the shell are two shell membranes, inner and outer. The air cell formed due to the
contraction of egg as it cools, is found between the two layers of this shell membrane.
The outer membrane sticks to the shell while the inner membrane sticks to the albumen.
During storage, the egg losses water by evaporation, causing the air cell to enlarge. The
vitelline membrane is the covering that protects the yolk from breaking. The vitelline
membrane is weakest at the germinal disc and tends to become more fragile as the egg
ages. Every cook has experienced that the yolk of eggs that are no longer fresh easily
break.
7. Yolk. The yolk or the yellow to yellow- orange portion makes up about 33% of the
liquid weight of the egg. The egg yolk is formed in the ovary. On the surface of the yolk,
there is a small white spot about 2 mm in diameter. This is the germinal disc and it is
present even if the egg is infertile. In infertile eggs, the germinal disc contains the genetic
material from the hen only but when fertilized, it contains the zygote that will eventually
develop into a chick. The yolk material serves as a food source for embryonic
development. It contains all the fat in the egg and a little less than half of the protein. The
main protein in the egg yolk is vitelline, a lipoprotein. It also contains phosvitin which is
high in phosphorus and has antioxidant properties, and livetin which is high in sulfur.
