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

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Food Science
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Eggs are versatile bioresources with components utilized across food, biomedical, and environmental sectors.
• Existing research often focuses on individual egg components, lacking a systematic link between molecular structure, material performance, and applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and synthesize studies on egg components, connecting their structure to material properties and cross-disciplinary applications.
• To highlight advancements in egg-based composite systems and discuss factors influencing their performance.
• To propose future research directions for egg-based smart materials.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature synthesis of existing studies on egg components.
• Analysis of inorganic constituents, natural fibers, proteins, and lipids.
• Review of egg-based composite systems, including preparation conditions and interfacial modulation.

Main Results:

• Egg components play crucial roles in functional regulation, interfacial activity, network formation, and material properties.
• Advancements in composite systems like protein-polysaccharide networks and lipid-based nanocarriers are detailed.
• Preparation conditions, composite strategies, and interfacial modulation significantly impact microstructure, rheology, film-forming ability, and stability.

Conclusions:

• A systematic framework is provided for understanding and utilizing egg components in high-performance food systems, biomedical applications, and functional composite materials.
• Future research should focus on synergistic design, cross-phase interface engineering, and the development of egg-based smart materials.