>From:    "Ulrike:-)" <[log in to unmask]>
>Just a quick question.  Avidin is found in raw egg white.  I've found out
>that it binds with biotin and makes it undigestible.  But I also read
>that "avidin will destroy thiamine in the diet" and that "avidin is an
>anti-thiamine enzyme".  So what is right, does it destroy thiamine or
>bind with biotin or both???  Just a bit confused...
 
Avidin binds biotin.  Really strongly.  Really REALLY strongly.  (It's
actually quite useful in research because of this.)  Biotin then becomes
unavailable for use.  I'm not sure how much avidin is in one raw egg white
and how much biotin it would bind.  I also don't know how much raw egg
white one average person would have to eat and for how long before it
became a health issue.  BTW, cooking the egg white destroys the avidin,
but you probably already knew that.
 
I don't know about avidin and thiamine.  I don't think they interact.
There is an enzyme called thiaminase that will destroy thiamine.
 
Hope that helped.
 
Karen
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[Posted in FML issue 3344]