Egg white comes from the eggs of hens. The eggs used can vary depending on factors such as size, diet of the hens, and husbandry practices (free range or cage rearing). It is a complex substance primarily made of water (about 90%) and proteins like ovalbumin.

Description of raw materials used in production. 

• Egg white comes directly from eggs, which are produced by chickens. The eggs used can vary based on factors such as size, the chickens’ diet, and farming practices.

Step-by-step summary of industrial production process.

• Egg Collection. Eggs are collected from poultry farms.
• Cleaning and Quality Check. Eggs are cleaned and checked to ensure they are of high quality.
• Separation. Whites are separated from yolks using a separator.
• Pasteurization. Whites are pasteurized to eliminate any harmful bacteria.
• Packaging or Drying. Whites are either packaged for sale or dried and turned into a powder.

Form and color. Egg whites are liquid and translucent, ranging from clear to slightly opaque. Egg white is a viscous, transparent liquid that surrounds the egg yolk. It can be used fresh, dried, or powdered, and it has neither color nor a particularly strong flavor.

Medical

Egg white contains vitamins (biotin, riboflavin, and thiamin) (1) and proteins such as ovalbumin used as a dietary supplement, ovotransferrin as an antimicrobial or antitumor agent, ovomucin as a tumor suppression agent, and lysozyme as a food preservative, while ovomucoid is the main egg allergen but can inhibit tumor growth and thus can be used as an anticancer agent (2).

Commercial applications. 

Egg whites are used in a wide range of food products for their coagulating, foaming, and binding properties. They are utilized in baking, making meringues, cocktails, and also in some savory food preparations.

Food Industry. Used as a leavening agent in baked goods, a stabilizer in mousses and foams, and a coagulant in products like flan.

Cooking. Applied in recipes like meringues, soufflés, and cocktails like Pisco Sour to create a foamy texture.

Cosmetic Industry. Employed in facial masks and skin treatments due to its astringent and firming properties.

Diet and Nutrition. Often used in high-protein diets and egg substitutes.

References_____________________________________________________________________

(1) Stevens L. Egg white proteins. Comp Biochem Physiol B. 1991;100(1):1-9. doi: 10.1016/0305-0491(91)90076-p. PMID: 1756612.

Abstract. 1. Egg white proteins are the principal solutes present in egg white, making up approximately 10% of its weight. 2. They are globular proteins and most have acidic isoelectric points. 3. Many are glycoproteins with carbohydrate contents ranging from 2 to 58%. 4. Of the major egg white proteins, lysozyme is the only one having catalytic activity, but many have specific binding sites, e.g. for vitamins such as biotin, riboflavin and thiamin, or for metal ions such as FeIII. 5. A major group are those showing proteinase inhibitory activity, and they include ovomucoid, ovoinhibitor, cystatin and ovostatin. 6. The synthesis of egg white protein occurs in the oviduct, and is hormonally controlled either by oestrogens or progesterone. 7. Extensive studies have been carried out in the genes coding for egg white proteins.

(2) Abeyrathne ED, Lee HY, Ahn DU. Egg white proteins and their potential use in food processing or as nutraceutical and pharmaceutical agents--a review. Poult Sci. 2013 Dec;92(12):3292-9. doi: 10.3382/ps.2013-03391.

Abstract. Egg white contains many functionally important proteins. Ovalbumin (54%), ovotransferrin (12%), ovomucoid (11%), ovomucin (3.5%), and lysozyme (3.5%) are among the major proteins that have high potentials for industrial applications if separated. The separation methods for these proteins from egg white have been developed since early 1900, but preparation methods of these proteins for commercial applications are still under development. Simplicity and scalability of the methods, use of nontoxic chemicals for the separation, and sequential separation for multiple proteins are very important criteria for the commercial production and application of these proteins. The separated proteins can be used in food and pharmaceutical industry as is or after modifications with enzymes. Ovotransferrin is used as a metal transporter, antimicrobial, or anticancer agent, whereas lysozyme is mainly used as a food preservative. Ovalbumin is widely used as a nutrient supplement and ovomucin as a tumor suppression agent. Ovomucoid is the major egg allergen but can inhibit the growth of tumors, and thus can be used as an anticancer agent. Hydrolyzed peptides from these proteins showed very good angiotensin I converting enzyme inhibitory, anticancer, metal binding, and antioxidant activities. Therefore, separation of egg white proteins and the productions of bioactive peptides from egg white proteins are emerging areas with many new applications.