Role of ultrasound and pectin in regulating the foaming properties and baking applications of liquid egg white

Abstract

The capacity of liquid egg white (LEW) to generate foam has become crucial in food processing. This study investigated the impact of ultrasound (US) and pectin in regulating the foaming properties and baking applications of LEW. Results showed that US treatment combined with pectin significantly (P < 0.05) improved foam ability (FA) from 142 ± 3.464 % to 236 ± 2.65 % and foam stability (FS) from 33.32 ± 2.63 % to 60.4 ± 1.82 %. The lowest surface tension achieved was 44.691 mN/m for EW600 + 1 % P. High-intensity US and pectin also enhanced the ξ-potential, solubility, and surface hydrophobicity. Dynamic rheological analysis indicated increased in apparent viscosity and viscoelasticity. Furthermore, increasing US power led to significant turbidity enhancements, rising from 41.22 ± 0.093 % to 96.30 ± 0.026 % (P < 0.05). Importantly, angel cakes made from US-treated LEW with pectin showed a higher specific volume, with EW600 + 1 % P reaching 3.2297 ± 0.017 mL/g compared to 2.9258 ± 0.022 mL/g for the control (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that US and pectin enhance foaming rates and baking performance, addressing reduced FS in egg whites (EW) and angel cakes when different US treatments were applied alone.