Chicken plasma powder as a more functional protein source than egg white

June 13 2022 - News

It is another case of the chicken or the egg. Eggs contain essential nutrients that offer interesting possibilities to help meet the nutritional requirements of pets. Off the different parts of an egg, the egg white or albumen contains most of the protein. Spray-dried egg white (albumen) powder has a very high protein content of over 80 percent and is a source of essential amino acids and other nutrients. Yet these nutrients can also be found in chicken-based ingredients. Spray-dried chicken plasma powder, for example, has a 65-70% protein content and specific benefits over spray-dried egg white (albumen) powder.

Chicken plasma powder

Chicken plasma powder is made from chicken blood sourced at slaughterhouses, which is filtered and then separated into its component parts (fractionation), including plasma and hemoglobin. The separated plasma is concentrated via membrane filtration and then spray-dried to form plasma powder. The use of low-temperature spray-drying ensures that the nutritional quality of the protein and amino structures is preserved.

Excellent functional properties

Spray-dried chicken plasma powder has excellent functional properties, including solubility, gel formation and emulsifying properties, as well as very good water binding capacity. In fact, chicken plasma powder has better emulsifying properties and is much more palatable to cats and dogs than egg white. When chicken plasma powder is heated, it forms an irreversible and stable gel, providing texture and consistency, improving water-retaining capacity and retaining flavors and nutrients.

Health benefits

Spray-dried chicken plasma powder has applications in all kinds of wet and dry pet food, as well as in semi-moist snacks and treats, proving health benefits for cats and dogs. Besides a well-balanced profile of all essential amino acids, chicken plasma powder also contains a particular type of immunoglobulin Y (IgY), which is effective in improving gut health and supporting the immune system in fighting pathogens. IgY has the added benefit that it does not trigger the allergenic response in humans.

Need help to decide?

If you would like to know more about the possibilities of spray-dried egg white powder and spray-dried chicken plasma powder for pet food applications, please download our product leaflet or contact us