The Effects and Molecular Mechanisms of Heat-Assisted Thawing and Erythritol Addition on the Rheological Properties...

Egg yolk is a highly nutritious and multifunctional ingredient widely used in food industries. However, freezing-induced gelation poses a significant challenge in the storage and processing of frozen egg yolk, leading to irreversible textural changes and limited industrial applications. This study investigated the synergistic effects and underlying molecular mechanisms of heat-assisted thawing, as well as the addition of erythritol, on the rheological properties of egg yolk. The results indicated that the frozen egg yolk liquid thawed at 50°C exhibited the optimal fluidity, as demonstrated by a 133% increase in the flow index, when compared to that thawed at 25°C. The 50°C also thawed sample displayed smaller particle size and weaker intermolecular interactions, indicating that accelerated heating could effectively prevent the freezing gelation of egg yolk. The incorporation of erythritol could further suppress the freeze gelation of frozen egg yolk liquid, served to decrease the melting point of egg yolk (thereby further inhibiting recrystallization behavior) and weaken the hydrogen bond interactions among egg yolk protein molecules. The results were meaningful for providing guidance for the production of frozen egg yolk with good fluidity and functionality.