Effects of HHP’s Holding Time on Proteins of Liquid Egg Products

Abstract

Today’s consumers require food products with fresh, or fresh-like characteristics. Minimal processing technologies are indicated as technologies with a gentle impact on sensorial and techno-functional properties. High Hydrostatic Pressure (HHP) is a widely used minimal technology considered as a cold pasteurization method in food preservation. The effect of applied pressure of HHP is well understood, but the holding time of HHP treatment is not extensively investigated in topic of proteins. One of the most important attribute of liquid egg products are the great foaming ability, foaming stability as well as emulsifying properties. These techno-functional properties are highly influenced by the protein structures of egg products. In our study, liquid egg products were pressurized at 400 MPa, for 1, 3, 5 7 and 10 minutes. The protein structures of liquid egg white (LEW), liquid egg yolk (LEY) and liquid whole egg (LWE) were investigated using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC).Our study pointed out that after HHP treatment at 400 MPa, for 10 minutes 12% decrease in denaturation enthalpy of LWE was observed. In LEY 30% decrease was detected after 10 minutes HHP treatment. The highest impact of HHP treatment (35% decrease in denaturation enthalpy) in LWE was noted. The changes in protein structures of liquid egg products were smaller, than the effects of higher pressure applied for preservation. In aspects of techno-functional properties applying a longer holding time is more favourable, than applying a higher pressure.