FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES

AND APPLICATION OF EGG

IN FOOD PROCESSING
F.S.T 7th Poultry ,Egg and Fish processing(F.S.T-611) 3(2-1)

Functional properties and applications of egg in food processing

Egg products are invaluable in a huge variety of food production and processing industries.
Properties such as binding, emulsification, coagulation and adhesion are integral to the
production of a large number of food products found in every supermarket
Functional properties of egg products in food production:
Egg ingredients supply foods with more than 20 functional properties, including aeration,
binding, coagulation, emulsification, foaming and whipping, to name just a few. Not only do
they have all this functionality, egg ingredients perform these functions under food processing
conditions, demonstrating their reliability during decades of modern food.
Functional properties of egg in food processing include:
 Adhesion
 Aeration/Foaming/structure
 Emulsification
 Antimicrobial
 Clarification
 Browning/color
 Coagulation/Thickening
 Whipping ability
ADHESION:
The proteins in egg products, specifically in the whites, assist with adhesion and ingredient
binding. When they are heated or exposed to acid, they coagulate, causing the egg product to
change from a liquid to a semisolid or solid. When the proteins solidify, they function as an
adhesive, connecting ingredients or food components with each other.
An egg wash for example, can be brushed onto the surface of baked foods in order to hold
typically applied nuts or seeds. The proteins help these decorative elements adhere to the surface
of the baked good during baking. An egg wash can also help control moisture depending on the
type of egg mixture used for the egg wash. Egg yolks or whole eggs will seal in moisture while
egg white proteins will draw moisture.
In addition, egg products often are added to batters used for breaded foods to help the breading
adhere to the substrate. Research suggests that batter with protein levels of 10 to 15 percent tend
to be the most effective binding agent. Adding seasoning or flavorings
to the egg wash helps ensure even distribution of the seasoning.The
chemistry of egg protein coagulation explains how egg products assist
with binding ingredients in multi-component prepared food system,
preventing products from crumbling, losing their shape.

AERATION/FOAMING/STRUCTURE:
Certain food formulations, particularly in baking, rely on aeration to provide proper product
structure. Aeration can be achieved in several ways including biological (yeast), chemical
(baking soda), mechanical (methods of mixing certain ingredients or the batter through whipping

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F.S.T 7th Poultry ,Egg and Fish processing(F.S.T-611) 3(2-1)

or beating), physical (lamination or steam), or a combination of those methods. Each is designed

to introduce a gas, such as air, into a liquid or viscous.
When whipping of egg is done then air is incorporated into a liquid or viscous solution, the
solution traps the air bubbles, forming foam. If proteins stabilize the foam, it leavens a food,
increasing its height and reducing its density. Eggs supply aeration to baking applications
through the mechanical method, with the viscosity of all egg products ideal for incorporating air
cells during the whipping or beating process.
As whipping or beating progresses, air bubbles decrease in size and increase in number,
surrounded by egg proteins.
Egg whites form foams greater in volume than yolks due to the unique proteins found in the
white. In fact, even though the term foam technically refers to any system where there are
entrapped air bubbles, in the food industry, when discussing egg products, the term tends to be
exclusive to egg white foams. This is because egg whites, unlike any other natural food
ingredient, are able to create the largest possible food foam, six to eight times greater in volume
than unwhipped, non-aerated liquid egg white.
This foaming ability of egg white finds uses in multiple baking applications, particularly angel
food cake, which relies on the aerating power of egg white for its characteristic texture, height,
appearance and cell structure. Certain confections, such as nougat candies, rely on proper
aeration for height, appearance and texture, which can suffer when
egg white is removed.
Increasing the acidity of egg whites helps stabilize the foam by
loosening the protein structure, keeping the foam elastic and stable
enough to entrap air cells, and allowing them to expand when heated,
resulting in better volume.
In certain applications whole eggs and egg yolks also increase the
volume of foods through the process of aeration, including some
baked goods and dairy desserts such as ice cream and custard.

ANTIMICROBIAL:
An antimicrobial by definition is an agent that either kills or stops the growth of microorganisms.
Among the various identities the egg can claim, antimicrobial is one of them. Various egg white
proteins exhibit antimicrobial properties. One example is lysozyme, which attacks the
polysaccharide cell walls of Gram-positive bacteria.
Lysozyme exhibits no significant functional property on its own. However it interacts easily with
other components in food system, and as such could influence actions such as gelation, foaming
or emulsification and coagulation. Gel for example, within mixed protein system producing
stronger network than pure proteins.
The hen’s egg is actually the richest source of lysozyme among other sources, accounting for 3.5
percent of the albumen proteins.Lysozyme is a very stable enzyme. It can prevent the outgrowth
of microbes in hard cheese production that cause a defect known as “late blowing,” control lactic
acid bacteria in wine production and be used as a general food preservative in select applications.
Lysozyme incorporated into food packaging materials has the potential to extend the shelf life of

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F.S.T 7th Poultry ,Egg and Fish processing(F.S.T-611) 3(2-1)

non-sterile or minimally processed foods by preventing the contamination by or growth of

microorganisms.
BINDING:
The binding property supplied by eggs to food manufacturers proves valuable in numerous
applications ranging from appetizers through desserts. Binding may be related to its ability to
coagulate and form gels, but in essence, it holds other ingredients together. This binding action
mainly benefits product structure, texture and mouthfeel.
In meat or fish formulations for example, egg proteins react with these other proteins to help
bind ingredients together for greater product integrity. Egg products form gels easily within
certain meat matrices to hold together meat patties and sauces.
In prepared foods, the binding action exhibited by egg ingredients, whether through gelation or
coagulation, prevents products from crumbing or losing their shape, maintaining a desirable
texture and form. When binding breading to foods, research suggests that batter with protein
levels of 10 to 15 percent tends to be the most effective binding agent.In baked goods, eggs bind
other ingredients together naturally, aiding with product structure, texture, form and appearance.
Proper binding also lends baked goods a tender crumb and can contribute to a light, airy texture.
BROWNING/COLOR:
“We eat with our eyes first,” says one article on baking,with color so important for baking
success that companies actually make meters to measure it. Egg products can contribute to
product color in two ways; browning on the product exterior in the case of baked goods, or the
product itself such as coloring mayonnaise.
The proteins within eggs can participate in the Millard reaction when exposed to heat, producing
a desirable brown color. The Millard reaction is responsible for the golden crust of baked
products such as yellow batter cake, meat browning and the dark color of roasted coffee.
In addition, egg yolk contributes rich color to various foods via xanthophylls, carotenoids with a
yellow-orange pigment that gives the yolk its characteristic color.Egg yolks impart a rich yellow
color to cakes and are often used to fortify whole egg products within formulations to yield a
more intense color or increased emulsifying action.
While color is an important factor in food product development, it is “rare for eggs to be used as
an ingredient in food products for their color contribution alone,” says one author, since eggs
possess multiple functional benefits beyond this coloring ability.
CLARIFICATION:Eggs, especially whites, can
clarify or clear various fluid products, including broth
and even wine. When the fluid is heated, added egg
white coagulates, capturing and holding minute
particles. Depending on the size and weight of the
encased particles, the cooked whites may sink to the
bottom, allowing the clarified mixture to be carefully
poured off. Sometimes the whites may bubble to the
top where they are skimmed off, resulting in a crystal-clear product.

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COAGULATION/THICKENING:
Coagulation indicates a change from a fluid to a solid or semisolid (gel) state. The success of
many cooked foods depends on the coagulative properties of proteins, particularly the
irreversible coagulative properties of egg proteins. The property is one of the egg’s most
important functional benefits for food formulators, as it enables eggs to bind foods together,
thicken applications, such as custards, omelets and puddings or positively benefit the crumb and
structure of baked goods, such as cakes and cookies.1
In cookie formulations, for example, egg proteins permeate the dough and coagulate
“contributing rigidity to the crumb and assisting the gluten to hold the volume attained. In a
custard or pudding,this coagulative property is responsible for the custard texture and mouthfeel.
As one source says, “Eggs are the main thickener in most custard and the yolks make them
smooth and rich. Starch is often added to custard to slow the process of coagulation to help
prevent overcooking the mixture.
Egg proteins denature and coagulate over a wide temperature range. Natural protein consists of
complex, folded and coiled individual molecules. Loose bonds across the folds and coils hold
each protein molecule in a tight, separate unit. These bonds can be disrupted when exposed to
heat or acid, or by physical means such as whipping, causing the protein to denature.
Coagulation or gelation in eggs can be achieved by several different means, including heat
(protein denaturation), mechanical (beating or chipping), sugar (raises the temperature for
coagulation).

EMULSIFICATION:
An emulsion, as defined by Food Technology, is a “temporarily stable mixture of immiscible
fluids, such as oil and water, achieved by finely dividing one phase into very small
droplets.” Nature designed multiple functions into the egg, including its ability to emulsify.
While most commonly associated with mayonnaise, the emulsifying capacity of whole eggs, egg
yolks and even egg whites plays a role in baking and other applications. The absence of eggs in
certain formulations such as mayonnaise can affect emulsion stability and final product
appearance.
Fresh liquid eggs, frozen eggs and spray-dried all have the capacity to emulsify, and according to
Christine Alvarado, Ph.D., Texas A&M University, there is no essential difference found
between them. The most popular forms however, include liquid, refrigerated whole eggs or
frozen yolks. Frozen yolk has 10 percent added salt or sugar to promote a smooth, creamy,
viscous yolk. Egg white emulsifies due to its albumin protein component.
Specifically the egg as emulsifier:

 Acts as a stabilizing agent by reducing surface tension

 Reduces the force required to create the droplets that comprise an emulsion

The reduction of surface tension is due to the lecithin contained within the egg yolk.There are
multiple factors that can affect an emulsion’s stability such as temperature, mixing speed and

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F.S.T 7th Poultry ,Egg and Fish processing(F.S.T-611) 3(2-1)

time. Egg yolks provide a viscous, continuous phase. This promotes stability in emulsions
because it prevents the dispersed oil droplets from moving around and gathering. Adding egg
yolk to whole eggs increases emulsion viscosity, lending it greater stability.In addition, the
smaller the droplet and more uniform in size, the better the emulsion and the better the mouthfeel
and texture of the finished product. When mixed at the proper speed and adding ingredients in
the proper order, formulators can control droplet size and dispersion.

Applications:

Some common applications for eggs as emulsifier beyond mayonnaise and sauces includes salad
dressing, ice cream and baked goods such as muffins, bread, cinnamon rolls and cheesecake to
name a few.

In ice cream, eggs added during the freezing process help promote a smoother texture and ensure
the ice cream does not melt rapidly after serving. Emulsifiers also help improve freeze/thaw
stability, an important quality for ice cream as well as sorbets, milkshakes, frozen mousse and
frozen yogurt.
Applications of egg in food processing:
Dairy products:
 The addition of egg to ice cream and other frozen desserts improves consistency and
decreases melting point.
 To eliminate crystallization and ensure a smooth texture, eggs are included in frozen dairy
products.
Confectionery:
 Egg acts as a binding agent for fondant and other soft fillings, improving the softness and
texture and adding richness.
 Confectionery such as chocolate bars and fondant are stabilized by egg proteins.
Drinks:
 Egg whites act as a clarification agent in the manufacture of wine and some juices, inhibiting
enzyme growth and prevent browning of the product.
 Adding egg to yoghurts and probiotic drinks gives a desirable creamy texture to the product.
Prepared foods and sauces:
 Egg gives a smoother texture to pre-prepared microwaveable dishes. Frozen microwaveable
dishes which include egg have better freezing and thawing properties.
 Foods such as mayonnaise, salad dressing, dips and sauces are bound and emulsified by the
addition of egg.