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Exploring non-equilibrium processes and spatio-temporal scaling laws in heated egg yolk using coherent X-rays
Nimmi Das Anthuparambil1,2, Anita Girelli3, Sonja Timmermann4
1Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607, Hamburg, Germany. nimmi.das.anthuparambil@desy.de.
Nature Communications
|September 11, 2023
Summary
Cooking egg yolk creates a soft, grainy texture through protein gelation and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) aggregation. Temperature affects these processes, with a threshold around 75°C impacting gelation dynamics.
Area of Science:
- Food science and biophysics
- Investigating the physical chemistry of food microstructure
Background:
- The unique texture of cooked egg yolk arises from complex protein-lipid interactions during heating.
- Understanding the specific roles of egg yolk components in microstructure development is crucial for food processing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the functional contributions of proteins, low-density lipoproteins (LDLs), and yolk granules to the grainy-gel microstructure and microscopic dynamics of cooked egg yolk.
- To determine how cooking temperature influences these constituent contributions.
Main Methods:
- Utilized X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy (XPCS) to probe microscopic dynamics.
- Analyzed the roles of protein gelation and LDL aggregation in microstructure formation.
- Investigated time-temperature superposition (TTS) principles for protein and LDL aggregation kinetics.
Main Results:
- Egg yolk viscosity is primarily determined by protein gelation.
- The grainy-gel microstructure is controlled by the extent of LDL aggregation.
- Both protein denaturation-aggregation-gelation and LDL aggregation follow Arrhenius-type TTS, indicating a shared temperature-dependent mechanism.
- Above 75°C, TTS breaks down, revealing temperature-independent gelation dynamics.
Conclusions:
- Protein gelation dictates viscosity, while LDL aggregation governs the grainy texture of cooked egg yolk.
- The cooking process involves non-equilibrium dynamics for both proteins and LDLs, with a critical temperature threshold affecting reaction rates.
- This study provides insights into controlling egg yolk microstructure through precise temperature and time management in food processing.
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