Science of Eggs Egg proteins change when you heat them, beat them, or mix them with other ingredients. This is called denaturing the protein, Proteins are made of long chains of amino acids. The proteins in an egg white are called globular proteins, which mean that the long protein molecule is twisted and folded and curled up into spherical shape. Weak chemical bonds keep the protein curled up tight as it drifts placidly in the water that surrounds it Heat ‘em When you apply heat, you agitate the egg-white proteins, bouncing them around. The egg proteins uncurl and bump into other proteins that have also uncurled. New chemical bonds form and they make a network of interconnected proteins. Water is held in the protein web. If you leave the eggs at a high temperature too lang, too many bonds form and the egg white becomes rubbery and the water is squeezed out - this process is called Syneresis. Beat ‘em When you beat raw egg whites to make a soufflé or a meringue, you incorporate air bubbles into the water-protein solution. Adding air bubbles to egg whites unfolds the egg proteins just the same as heating them does. When these captured air bubbles are cooked, they expand as the gas inside them heats up and the protein network surrounding the bubbles solidifies in the heat; the structure doesn’t collapse when the bubbles burst so making a perfect meringue. Mix ‘em up Everyone knows that, left to their own devices, oll and water don’t mix. But for many recipes, you mix oil-based and water-based liquids—and want them to stay that way. Often, egg yolks come to your rescue by creating an emulsion. Most food emulsions are known as oil-in-water type, which means that oil (or fat) droplets are dispersed throughout the water, Put oil and water in a jar, shake it vigorously, and you'll disperse the oil. To prevent the oil droplets from coalescing (separating out again), a substance known as an emulsifier is required. Egg yolk contains an emulsifier called Lecithin, which is why egg yolks are so important in making foods such as hollandaise and mayonnaise.