Effect of Fermentation Time and Spray Drying Inlet Temperature on the Quality of Egg White Powder

Abstract

Eggs are an affordable and widely consumed protein source but have a limited shelf life due to their perishable nature. Converting egg white into powder through fermentation and spray drying offers a promising preservation method; however, the combined effects of these processes remain insufficiently studied. This research evaluated the influence of fermentation duration and spray-drying inlet temperature on the physicochemical properties of chicken egg white powder. Egg whites were fermented for 4 and 6 h and dried using a Buchi 190 spray dryer at inlet temperatures of 180, 185, and 190 °C. A completely randomized factorial design with two factors and two replications was applied. Data were analyzed using ANOVA followed by Duncan’s multiple range test. Spray-drying inlet temperature significantly affected fat content, pH, moisture, and protein content, whereas fermentation time showed limited effects. The combination of 4–6 h fermentation and a 190 °C inlet temperature produced egg white powder with favorable characteristics, including a yield of 3.22–4.83%, color difference of 9.02–10.05, pH of 10.70–10.75, moisture content of 5.64–5.76%, protein content of 78.30–78.74%, ash content of 5.40–5.64%, and particle size of 3.15–3.77 μm. However, pH and fat content did not fully meet Indonesian National Standard (SNI) requirements, indicating that further process optimization is necessary.