Egg-Based Materials and Interaction-Driven Assembly From Components to Functional Systems

Eggs are natural and multifunctional bioresources, and their components are widely applied in the food, biomedical, functional, and environmental fields. Most studies have focused on the chemical properties or functional characteristics of individual components, and a systematic understanding that connects molecular structure, material performance, and cross-disciplinary applications is lacking. This review comprehensively synthesized existing studies, covering inorganic constituents (e.g., eggshell minerals), natural fibers (e.g., eggshell membrane), and protein and lipid structural features, determining their roles in functional regulation, interfacial activity, network formation, and material properties. Advancements in egg-based composite systems, including protein-polysaccharide networks, egg yolk lipid-based nanocarriers, eggshell-eggshell membrane composites, and protein-keratin crosslinked systems, are highlighted. The effects of the conditions of preparation, composite strategies, and interfacial modulation on the microstructure, rheology, film-forming ability, and stability were critically discussed. Future perspectives were proposed, emphasizing multicomponent synergistic design, cross-phase interface engineering, and the development of egg-based smart materials. This framework provides a systematic reference for using eggs in high-performance food systems, biomedical applications, and functional composite materials.