Impact of magnetic assisted freezing in the physicochemical and functional properties of egg components. Part 1: Egg white

Abstract Effects of freezing assisted with magnetic fields (MFs) in a Cell Alive System (CAS) commercial unit at 50 °C, with a static MF only (0% CAS) and with a static MF plus oscillating MF (10% CAS) on egg white (W) was investigated. W samples were from commercial eggs from three strains of laying hens (two of them living in fortified cages and the third one in liberty at outdoor). The main goal was to follow the protein thermal denaturation involved in W processing. Thermal denaturation enthalpy was markedly affected (~ 50% total protein in comparison with fresh sample) but similar for both MFs processes, where 0% CAS was taken as Control freezing treatment. MFs effects were predominantly thermal in nature and constituted the factor with the highest influence on thermal behavior, as well as on the majority of the functional properties exhibited by MFs samples. Rheology and free Sulfhydryl content were studied complementarily to Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) data. Some important functional properties as Foaming parameters and Texture of W gel were also determined. The hen strains-feeding factor did not practically influence the physical or functional behaviors of both untreated and processed W samples.