Development of egg white protein aerogels as new matrix material for microencapsulation in food

• Food grade aerogels based on egg white proteins were developed.
• Different aerogel structures could be obtained by changing conditions during heat coagulation of egg white.
• The highest stability combined with large BET-surface areas was found for aerogels gelled at alkaline pH.

Egg white protein hydrogels formed by heat coagulation were used to obtain aerogel structures by supercritical drying. Hydrogels were prepared from pasteurized and spray-dried egg white at different pH, ionic concentrations and protein content to modify the characteristics of the dried protein network. The largest BET-surface areas were found at low and high pH, the most mechanically stable aerogels – at alkaline pH. It was shown that the protein network is preserved during supercritical drying. Egg white as precursor for aerogels opens a new field of application for those proteins as microencapsulation material for sensitive or unpleasant tasting food additives.

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