Rongda Poultry Industry Co., Ltd.

The traditional single-alkali method for protein gelation suffers from slow processing and empirical control. Heat alone cannot produce firm, transparent gels. Understanding the synergy between alkali and heat is therefore important for both gelation theory and practical processing. In this study, alkali-thermal induced egg white gelation (EWG) was investigated using multi-scale techniques including texture analysis, rheology, low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Increasing processing intensity first improved gel properties but then caused a decline. Under optimal conditions (pH 11.5, 75 °C, 40 min), the gel formed a dense network stabilized mainly by disulfide and ionic bonds. A three-stage gelation mechanism is proposed. The first stage is ionic bond-dominated aggregation. The second stage involves disulfide bond-driven network strengthening. The third stage is a reorganization process where excessive processing leads to structural deterioration. This work advances the understanding of alkali-thermal protein gelation by revealing the interplay between intermolecular forces and hierarchical structures, and provides a theoretical framework and practical guidance for protein gelation under coupled chemical and thermal stimuli.

Ovalbumin (OVA) has demonstrated significant potential in promoting muscle repair due to its rich amino acid composition. Previous findings have confirmed the muscle repair-promoting effects of OVA. In this study, a total of five peptides with muscle repair activity were identified through in vitro simulated digestion, multi-stage chromatography purification, and computer-based virtual screening. Repair effects were then validated using a C2C12 cell model. Experimental results showed that SK-10 had significant effect, increasing the viability of dexamethasone (DEX)-induced C2C12 cells (from 73.33 % to 85.15 %) and restoring the levels of inflammatory factors (IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α) to normal levels. Further qRT-PCR (quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction) and Western blot (WB) experiments indicated that SK-10 could activate the PI3K-Akt-mTOR signaling pathway, thereby promoting protein synthesis and ultimately enhancing the proliferative capacity of myoblasts. The study could provide a theoretical basis for promoting muscle repair by OVA active peptide.