Elastic Attributes of Heated Egg Protein Gels

The equilibrium stress of egg white (EW) and ovalbumin (OV) gels using the statistical theory of rubber elasticity suggested that 3.9 covalent disulfide cross-links per OV molecule were formed on gelling. DTNB and PCMB reacted with approximately 4 sulfhydryls of OV in 2% SDS and/or at 82°C. Moreover, the equivalent of 3 secondary bonds, calculated from the initial stress and presumably a composite of numerous weak secondary bonds, contributed significantly to the protein gel stress.