How much does an egg yolk weigh?
In this brief article, we will answer the question, “how much does an egg yolk weigh”, factors affecting egg size, and methods to weigh egg yolk
How much does an egg yolk weigh?
An average egg yolk weighs around eighteen grams. This would make around thirty percent of an egg’s weight whereas the egg white would make up for around sixty-five percent of the egg’s weight. A large egg yolk would weigh around 1.75 ounces.
How much would a big egg yolk weigh disregarding the shell?
A big egg yolk would weigh around 1.6 to 2 ounces without a shell.
What is the composition of egg yolk?
Egg yolk is made up of 50% water, 30% fat, 17% proteins, 1.8% minerals, and 0.6% carbohydrates. It also contains an ample amount of proteins and phospholipids.
Can egg size be classified?
Net weight per dozen eggs is used to analyze the size of an egg. Eggs are classified into six types namely Peewee, small, medium, large, X-large, and jumbo eggs.
| Type of the egg | Egg size (in ounces) |
| Peewee | 15 ounces |
| Small | 18 ounces |
| Medium | 21 ounces |
| Large | 24 ounces |
| X-large | 27 ounces |
| Jumbo | 30 ounces |
The peewee eggs are the smallest in size and are laid by very young hens. Small eggs are also laid by very young hens. Medium, large and extra-large eggs are laid by mature hens. Hens with heavier bodies lay jumbo eggs.
Does the weight of an egg yolk vary based on egg size?
Yes, depending on whether the egg is small, medium, or large the weight of the yolk would vary. Medium eggs would have an egg yolk that weighs approximately 14 grams.
Large eggs would have an egg yolk weighing around 16-17 grams. Extra-large eggs would have an egg yolk weighing around 22 grams. The volume of large egg yolk would be around 15 mL which is around one tablespoon. While 15-16 egg yolks would have a volume of 250 mL which is around one cup.
What factors influence the size of an egg?
The size of an egg is mainly dependent on three factors which are as follows
- Age is a factor that could determine the size of an egg though it is not an accurate factor. Young hens like pullets have been seen to lay jumbo-sized eggs as well.
- The breed of the hen is another factor that influences egg size. For instance, a Jersey giant is a breed that is heavier in size and lays larger eggs.
- Seasonal variations and lighting could be another factor that could help in shaping egg size. Hens typically lay smaller and fewer eggs during the winter season.
Artificial lighting could help in improving the frequency of laying eggs during winter, though the egg size would remain smaller.
What are the instruments used to measure egg size and quality?
Egg size is measured using the following instruments:
- An egg analyzer is used by USDA to check egg quality and grade the eggs. An egg analyzer helps in measuring the weight of an egg and also the color of yolk which helps in determining the egg quality.
- An egg force reader is another piece of equipment that could help in determining egg quality. It helps in determining the quality of an eggshell. If the eggshell breaks easily, it is considered to be of inferior quality.
- An eggshell thickness gauge is used to determine the thickness of the shell at different points of an egg. It is battery-dependent equipment.
What is a yolk index?
The yolk index is used to measure the height and diameter of the yolk. This provides information on the freshness of the yolk. If the yolk index of an egg is above 0.38, it is considered to be extremely fresh.
If the yolk index is between 0.27 to 0.38 it is considered to be fresh. If the yolk index is below 0.27, the yolk quality would be considered to be average. The yolk index would be calculated by dividing the height of the yolk by the yolk diameter using a caliper.
What are double yolk eggs?
Double yolk eggs are a rare phenomenon. It is usually laid by pullets and occurs when the egg lays more than one egg during its ovulation cycle.
How much does a double-yolked egg weigh?
Double yolked eggs are significantly heavier than the average eggs. The egg weight and shell weight of double-yolked eggs are significantly higher than single yolked eggs. The weight of an egg would range from 75 to 100 grams.
Other FAQs about eggs that you might want to look into
Is there the importance of measuring yolk size?
Measuring egg size or yolk size could help in determining the quality of an egg. It would also help bring about accuracy in cooking.
Conclusion
In this brief article, we have answered the question “how much does an egg yolk weigh”, factors affecting egg size, and methods to weigh egg yolk.
