In crustaceans, performance of dietary proteins has been shown to be influenced by a number of factors and is not limited to only amino acid compositions. Egg albumin serves a prominent role as an amino acid standard for terrestrial animals, however it is utilized poorly as a single protein source in lobster diets. This study investigated the influence of processing on egg white suitability in diets for lobsters.
Egg white, commercially obtained as well as prepared in the laboratory was used as a protein source in juvenile lobster diets. Sprayed dried egg white, with or without having been heated to 110°C for 20 minutes performed poorly in contrast to casein control diets. Egg white which had first been cooked to coagulation and later dried was significantly better than either the casein control or other egg diets. Findings suggest antinutritional factors, such as trypsin inhibitors, strongly influence the suitabilty of egg white as a protein source of lobsters, however, appropriate denaturation techniques can minimize their effects.