Scientists crack the code for perfectly cooked eggs
It turns out that cooking eggs is a topic that engages not only breakfast lovers but also scientists. Researchers from the University of Naples in Italy, led by Ernesto Di Maio, have discovered a method for cooking perfect eggs—with well-set whites and creamy yolks. Their analysis shows that these eggs not only taste the best but also retain the most nutritional value.
According to Newsweek.pl, the findings were published in "Nature Communications Engineering." The researchers used a technique known as periodic cooking to prepare the eggs. While preparing breakfast this way takes at least 32 minutes, the study's results are quite impressive.
How do alternately cooked eggs taste?
Eggs cooked using this special "scientific" method were served to 8 people alongside traditionally cooked eggs—hard-boiled, soft-boiled, and sous vide (a long cooking process at a low temperature). Emilia Di Lorenzo, a co-author of the study, praised the yolk's consistency:
After hundreds of trials, analyses, and calculations, scientists achieved an egg with whites similar to soft-boiled eggs, while the yolk resembled that produced by the sous vide method.
Eggs cooked for 32 minutes
The researchers attained this result by repeatedly transferring the eggs between two containers. One container held boiling water at 212 degrees Fahrenheit, while the other had warm water at 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Every 2 minutes, the eggs were moved in a basket between the boiling and warm water. This cycle was repeated 8 times.
By periodically heating and cooling, the white eventually fully set, and the yolk cooked at a steady temperature, achieving a creamy consistency.
The impact of cooking on egg nutritional values
Eggs cooked by this method retained their full nutritional value. Previously, it was thought that longer cooking times diminished an egg's nutritional value. However, this study suggests that not only time but also the temperature of the cooking process is crucial. The cyclic cooling helped preserve vital elements in the yolk, including lecithin, which impedes cholesterol absorption.
An article discussing which part of the egg is healthier reveals that both the yolk and the white contain valuable nutrients.
