Yang Fu-min^1,, Xu Xiao-xia^{1, 2}, Yang Min³, Qiang Kai-xia⁴, Wang Xue-yan¹

The study was undertaken to compare the quality and nutritional components of eggs from blue peafowl and Jingbai hen. The results showed that the average egg weight, eggshell thickness and egg yolk relative weight of blue peafowl eggs were significantly bigger than those of hen eggs (p < 0.01). Blue peafowl eggs contained significantly higher protein (p < 0.01), higher carbohydrate (p < 0.01), total amino acid and essential amino acid (p < 0.01), Zn (p < 0.01), Ca (p < 0.05) but lower fat (p < 0.01) and water (p < 0.05) than those in hen eggs. Amino acid content of blue peafowl eggs was in accordance with the ideals of the FAO mode. Blue peafowl eggs contained significantly higher V_C and V_B2 (p < 0.01) but lower V_A and V_E (p < 0.01) than hen eggs. 47 volatile compounds were found in raw blue peafowl eggs while only 30 in raw hen eggs; 60 volatile compounds were found in cooked blue peafowl eggs while only 41 in cooked hen eggs. Overall, most indices of qualities and nutrient components of blue peafowl eggs were not inferior to hen eggs.

blue peafowl egg, hen egg, composition, nutritional quality