SEPARATION OF EGG-YOLK PROTEINS AND LIPIDS WITH CARBOXYMETHYL CELLULOSE

A process was developed to separate proteins and lipids from egg yolk using carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) solutions with the intent of maintaining the proteins near their native state. The process produced pure globulins (gamma-livetins), concentrated total lipids present in yolk plasma into a semi-solid fraction, and yielded a subnatant containing about 68% proteins with a yield of 111 mg/g egg yolk. The method required no pH adjustment and took less centrifugation time as compared to other methods for egg yolk globulin separation. Total lipids of yolk plasma were recovered from the supernatant fraction by hexane-isopropanol (HIP) extraction. The protein residue obtained after HIP extraction of fresh egg yolk retained all the natural proteins of the yolk.