Raw vs Cooked Egg Yolk Color

Raw vs Cooked Egg Yolk Color - Top view of broken raw egg with yellow yolk and white eggshell on white background in light kitchen during cooking process

Why do egg yolks change color from orange or dark yellow to yellow or light yellow when cooked, esp. hard boiled?



Best Answer

This is due to the proteins in the yolk denaturing and aggregating - basically the same reason the white (albumen) turns white from clear.

Think about the color that would result if you mixed a dark yellow color with some of the color white (i.e. I'm not talking about mixing yolk with albumen here, just colors) - it would lighten to make a lighter yellow




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Are eggs with darker yolks better?

Surprisingly, the color of egg yolks actually does matter. According to a study published by the Journal of Food Science, egg yolks that have a darker color (such as a mustard yellow or a light orange) typically contain even more omega-3s and vitamins compared to an average lighter yolk egg.

Why is my egg yolk a different color?

Egg yolks vary in colour from dark orange to almost white and this variation is almost entirely due to the pigments in the chicken's food. A diet rich in pigments will produce eggs with darker yolks.

What color is a cooked egg yolk?

A boiled egg should ordinarily show only two colors: the rich yellow of its yolk and the clean, firm cooked whites. All too often, however, you see a third color, a dismal layer of gray or gray-green surrounding the cooked yolk.

What color is a raw egg yolk?

What does it mean? Egg yolks range in color from pale yellow to deep orange. The color of an egg's yolk depends solely upon the hen's diet. The darker color of a yolk signals the presence of carotenoids, which are natural pigments found in some plants.



Egg Yolks: Orange or Yellow – Pasture Raised Eggs vs. Factory Farm Eggs – Which is Better? – Dr.Berg




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