Sustainable valorisation of technical egg albumen: Modelling and optimization of the coagulation process

Industrial egg processing assures more convenience and safety for the consumers but generates a significant quantity of by-products. The egg white adherent to the shell, referred as technical albumen (TA) is a liquid by-product containing valuable nutrients. The study investigates the influence of pressing force (PF), pH and dry matter concentration (DC) on the acid-thermal coagulation of TA by D-optimal design. The highest pressing efficiency (PE) was at 315 g/cm2 P, 5.0 pH and 22% Dry matter (DM), on other hand 18.5% DM had no significant effect. In the same time the highest yield was at 5.0 pH,351 g/cm2 P highest and high 22% DM as well as, at 18.5% DM and 351 g/cm2 P and 4.8 pH. The performed D-optimal central composite design (CCD) combined with response surface methodology (RSM) and mathematical optimization established the optimal conditions of the process at 22% DM, 4.80 pH and 333.3954 g/cm2 P.