chicken Egg !!

A hen requires 24 to 26 hours to produce an egg. Thirty minutes later, she starts all over again.
The Egg anatomy, below :

SHELL

• the first line of defence against the entry of bacteria
• can be brown or white; nutritional value of the egg is the same
• composed mainly of calcium carbonate
• approximately 8,000 to 10,000 tiny pores allow moisture and gases in (O₂) and out (CO₂)

SHELL MEMBRANES

• there are two membranes on the inside of the shell
• one membrane sticks to the shell and one surrounds the white (albumen)
• the second line of defence against bacteria
• composed of thin layers of protein fibres

GERMINAL DISC

• appears as a slight depression on the surface of the yolk
• the entry for the fertilization of the egg

WHITE (ALBUMEN)

• there are two layers: thin and thick albumen
• mostly made of water, high quality protein and some minerals
• represents 2/3 of the egg's weight (without shell)
• when a fresh egg is broken, the thick albumen stands up firmly around the yolk

CHALAZA

• a pair of spiral bands that anchor the yolk in the centre of the thick albumen
• the fresher the egg the more prominent the chalazas
• unnoticeable when the egg is cooked

YOLK MEMBRANE
(VITELLINE MEMBRANE)

• surrounds and holds the yolk
• the fresher the egg the stronger the membrane

YOLK

• the egg's major source of vitamins and minerals, including protein and essential fatty acids
• represents 1/3 of the egg's weight (without shell)
• yolk colour ranges from light yellow to deep orange, depending on the hen's food

AIR CELL

• forms at the wide end of the egg as it cools after being laid
• the fresher the egg the smaller the air cell
  

Source: http://www.goldeneggs.com.au/nutrition/what_is_an_egg.html

Written on : 8:12 PM