Alterations of hen egg allergens by heating

Abstract

Ovalbumin and ovomucoid, the major allergens in hen eggs, are present in the egg white. The allergenicity and IgE epitopes of these proteins have been extensively studied. Although the allergenicity of egg proteins decreases with heating, ovomucoid is thermotolerant, retaining its allergenicity even after heating. Recently, baked eggs have been increasingly used in clinical practice to some patients, who had an allergic symptom by heated eggs. However, allergenicity of egg bolos does not decrease even after sufficient baking. Although denaturation has been considered important for the hypoallergenicity of egg proteins, we hypothesized that decreased solubility is more important for the hypoallergenicity of egg proteins. To verify this, we analyzed the heat-induced changes in egg white proteins. In this paper, we summarize our findings on the protein solubility of boiled eggs, which was inspired by an analysis of the allergenicity of baked eggs.