Egg Product

Egg grading, breaking and hatchery operations supply egg material for further processing. Removing shells and preparing the contents for shipment gives feed makers another market for suitable egg material.^3,4

1. 01 // Source Egg operations Grading, breaking and hatchery lines supply the egg material covered by this ingredient name.
2. 02 // Process Shells separated Processors remove shells and other non-egg material, apart from traces unavoidable during processing.
3. 03 // Process Form prepared Suppliers dehydrate the egg material or prepare it for shipment as a liquid or frozen ingredient.
4. 04 // Output Egg product The kibble plant receives egg material whose source operation and physical form are not stated on the bag.

1. 01

   Adds digestible protein

   In a small dog trial, adding spray-dried egg raised the diet's apparent protein digestibility. The result supports the tested product, not every material sold under this broad name.^1,3

2. 02

   Adds egg fat

   The tested spray-dried sample contained substantial fat alongside its protein. How much fat egg product contributes to a finished food depends on the material and the amount added.^1,5

3. 03

   Markets egg material

   Egg graders, breakers and hatcheries supply material under this ingredient name. Selling suitable material for feed gives those operations another outlet when eggs do not enter the retail shell market.^3,4

How much A dog study tested spray-dried egg at 4, 8 and 12% of the diet; labels do not disclose commercial inclusion amounts.^1,5

1. Brands say

   Egg product is easy for dogs to digest

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   In an 8-Beagle trial, researchers estimated 91.3% apparent protein digestibility for their spray-dried egg. That supports the tested product. Egg product is a broader name, so the result does not show digestibility for every source and form.^1,3

2. Owners say

   Egg can trigger a food allergy

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   A review identified egg as a trigger in 11 of 297 dogs already known to have food reactions. Egg allergy is real, but this selected group does not show how common it is among all dogs.²

3. Brands say

   Egg makes kibble more appealing

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   The authors say 20 dogs preferred food with 4% spray-dried egg. Their Table 3 instead labels the egg-free control as diet A and gives it 23 of 40 first visits and a 0.52 intake ratio. The reported results do not show an egg preference.¹

4. Critics say

   Egg product is empty filler

   Outruns the evidence

   Evidence

   1. Strong
   2. Some
   3. Thin
   4. None

   One analyzed spray-dried sample contained 52.78% protein and 29.67% fat on a dry basis. Egg product supplies nutrients. Its contribution to a particular food still depends on how much the maker uses.^1,5