MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Penguin eggs, “once vital for Antarctic explorers, but now illegal to consume”

Penguins jealously watching over the eggs in their nest. (Photo: Derek. Pettersson)

A Korean news site has published an interesting article on Penguin Eggs, and its nutritional virtues, which it describes as “once vital for Antarctic Explorers”, and we might add decades ago, part of Falkland Islanders diet, but which are now illegal to consume and penguins very much protected and loved.

“A lesser-known story involves “boiled eggs”—not chicken eggs, but penguin eggs. Here's a surprising fact about penguin eggs, which might be key to understanding how our endangered penguins survive the harsh cold of the Antarctic.

“Penguin eggs differ significantly from the chicken eggs most people are familiar with. When boiled, penguin eggs remain semi-transparent, unlike the opaque white of chicken eggs. This is not an oddity but rather a crucial adaptation that helps penguins survive in extreme environments.

“The reason penguin eggs behave differently when boiled is due to their unique composition. While chicken egg whites are primarily made of ovalbumin, a protein that solidifies and turns white when heated, penguin eggs contain around 25% penalbumin. This allows the egg white to remain transparent even after cooking. According to IFL Science, penalbumin prevents the moisture inside the egg from freezing, ensuring that ice crystals do not form and damage the egg. This adaptation helps penguin eggs withstand freezing temperatures without cracking or becoming damaged.

“In the past, penguin eggs were a vital food source for Antarctic explorers. Robert Headland, a researcher at the Scott Polar Research Institute, explained to IFL Science that gentoo penguin eggs were especially valuable, as they had a long breeding season and could be laid multiple times, making them a reliable resource for explorers.

“During their expeditions, explorers collected penguin eggs for sustenance over long periods. Some eggs were even preserved at research stations. However, today, collecting or consuming penguin eggs is illegal in most regions.

“While it's highly unlikely that most people will encounter a penguin egg today, some reports exist on what boiled penguin eggs taste like. The taste is described as somewhat fishy due to the penguin’s diet of krill. Donald Morrison from the Falkland Islands told IFL Science, “Boiled penguin eggs are tolerable with vinegar, but they made an excellent meringue dessert.”