Ethanol-alkaline modulation enables mild-temperature egg white protein gelation with tunable rheological and textural...

Conventional egg white protein (EWP) heat-set gelation requires temperatures above 80 °C, limiting its use as a carrier for heat-labile bioactives. Here, we report that low-concentration ethanol (5-15%, v/v) combined with alkaline pH effectively lowers EWP gelation onset by up to 30 °C, enabling gelation at 50-60 °C and pH-dependent tuning of the gel network. Differential scanning calorimetry confirmed additive thermal destabilization by each factor, with ethanol promoting conformational unfolding and hydrophobic exposure at mild temperatures. At pH 9.3, ethanol progressively increased the storage modulus of EWP gels by 3-6-fold, building a stiffer network. At pH 11.0, despite lower storage modulus, pronounced strain-stiffening under large deformation yielded elevated yield strain and stress. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed distinct network topologies between pH conditions. This dual-factor modulation strategy raised vitamin D₃ encapsulation efficiency to >90% with controlled release during simulated digestion, demonstrating a mild, tunable platform for heat-sensitive bioactive delivery.