Beyond browning: How the Maillard reaction influences the gelation behavior of preserved egg white

The Maillard reaction not only imparts a unique color to preserved egg white (PEW) but may also affect its gel properties. To clarify whether the Maillard reaction played a role in the gel properties of PEW, the fresh duck eggs were pickled at various temperatures (10 °C, 20 °C, and 30 °C) to control the degree of Maillard reaction occurred in PEW. The study revealed that as the temperature elevated, the PEW exhibited darker color, higher browning intensity, and lower pH, indicating a higher degree of Maillard reaction occurred in the PEW at higher pickling temperatures. Simultaneously, the higher the pickling temperature, the lower the content of free thiol groups, the proportion of disulfide bonds, the hardness, the springiness, the cohesiveness, and the water-holding capacity of PEW, along with a looser microstructure. The Maillard reaction negatively impacted the gel properties of PEW by interfering with the formation of disulfide bonds.