Why are penguin eggs clear when boiled?

Have you ever seen penguin’s egg? If yes, does it surprise you that penguin’s egg is transparent, clear and see through when boiled? You can practically see the yolk through the shell when boiled.

This is what you get when you boil penguin eggs.
This is due to the type of albumin they contain. Normal eggs that we eat like chicken and duck’s contain ovalbumin. When the egg is boiled and the ovalbumin coagulates, it turns white. However, for the eggs to survive the freezing condition of the native regions of penguin, they contain more of a special type of albumin known as penalalbumin instead.

When boiled, this penalalbumin stays translucent when it coagulates. Hence the reason for this appearance.

Why are penguin eggs clear when boiled?
Why are penguin eggs clear when boiled?

It’s edible. But it is illegal to eat penguin’s egg or meat in some part of the world in a bid to conserve their population.

A transparent boiled penguin egg

Source: Arojinle

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