[Comparison of the Bacteriostatic Properties of Eggs with and without Ovomucoid]

Ovomucoid is a protein found in egg white and is the major cause of egg allergy. We have been conducting studies on chicken eggs that do not contain ovomucoid (ovomucoid-null: ON eggs) as hypoallergenic eggs and confirmed that the gelling, foaming, and emulsifying properties of these eggs are almost similar to those of control (Ct) eggs and that they are suitable for cooking and confectionery. In the present study, we compared the changes in bacterial counts in ON eggs and Ct eggs in shell eggs, liquid whole eggs, and liquid egg whites with added Pseudomonas fluorescens, Salmonella Enteritidis, and Bacillus cereus and found no tendency for bacterial counts to increase more easily in ON eggs than in Ct eggs. We guessed that ovomucoid does not affect the bacteriostatic properties of chicken eggs, and that ON eggs do not increase microbial risk.