Comparative Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Desalted Duck Egg White Using Proteases for Functional Hydrolysates

Naruemon Tosuk; Tipawan Thongsook; Saowaluk Rungchang; Thunnalin Winuprasith; Sonthaya Numthuam

doi:10.69650/ahstr.2025.4407

Authors

Naruemon Tosuk Department of Agro-Industry, Faculty of Agriculture Natural Resources and Environment, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand https://orcid.org/0009-0005-5531-1767
Tipawan Thongsook Department of Agro-Industry, Faculty of Agriculture Natural Resources and Environment, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1718-2982
Saowaluk Rungchang Division of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agro-Industry, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50100, Thailand https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3610-4488
Thunnalin Winuprasith Institute of Nutrition, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, 73170, Thailand https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5810-3956
Sonthaya Numthuam Department of Agricultural Science, Faculty of Agriculture Natural Resources and Environment, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4673-3504

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.69650/ahstr.2025.4407

Keywords:

Desalted egg white, Protein hydrolysate, Enzyme, Free amino acids, Antioxidant activity

Abstract

The valorization of salted duck egg white (SDEW), a high-salt by-product of the egg industry, was investigated through desalting and enzymatic hydrolysis to produce protein hydrolysates with enhanced functional properties. The desalting process resulted in a 97.13% reduction in sodium content while maintaining protein integrity, confirming desalted SDEW (DS-DEW) as a suitable substrate for enzymatic modification. Two proteases with distinct catalytic properties were compared: Protease M “Amano” SD (MSD, a dual endopeptidase and exopeptidase) and Thermoase GL30 (GL, an endopeptidase). Both enzymes showed time-dependent increases in the degree of hydrolysis (DH), with GL achieving a higher final DH at 6 hours, while MSD exhibited a faster initial hydrolytic rate. Total amino acid (TAA) content increased in both groups, with MSD yielding consistently higher levels of free amino acid. Predominant amino acids included glutamic acid, aspartic acid, glycine, and leucine, along with increased levels of hydrophobic and aromatic amino acids such as tyrosine, phenylalanine, and tryptophan. Antioxidant activity evaluated by the DPPH assay was significantly higher in MSD-treated samples, peaking at 3 hours (88.36%). In contrast, GL-treated samples exhibited lower activity, which declined over time. These results demonstrate the potential of controlled enzymatic hydrolysis of DS-DEW for producing antioxidant-active hydrolysates and support the development of value-added functional ingredients, contributing to the sustainable and industrial-scale utilization of egg industry by-products within the bio-circular-green economic model.

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