Investigation on the physicochemical properties and volatile components of egg yolk fermented by different lactic acid bacteria and quality evaluation of mayonnaise prepared from fermented egg yolk

Abstract

Developing high-quality egg products is of great significance for food industry. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) fermentation is a simple and sustainable method to improve the function and nutrition of food ingredients. In this research, the effect of fermentation by five LAB (Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus reuteri, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Lactobacillus bulgaricus) on the physicochemical properties and flavor of egg yolk (EY) was investigated. In addition, mayonnaise was prepared using fermented EY. It was found that the pH of EY decreased significantly after the fermentation treatment, while the changes in solubility, particle size, zeta potential, and surface hydrophobicity indicated the structural changes in EY lipoproteins. Headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) analysis showed significant differences in the volatiles after fermentation by different LAB. Fermentation reduced the content of oxime-, methoxy-phenyl-l/naphthalene in EY and produced flavor substances such as hexanal, nonanal, and 1-octen-3ol. Heat stabilization of mayonnaise prepared using fermented EY increased from 89.8% to 92.8%. Mayonnaise made from fermented EY exhibited enhanced rheology and sensory acceptability, highlighting that fermentation could be used as an alternative to increase EY's commercial value. This study offers a low-energy, eco-friendly method for enhancing the quality of EY products in the food industry.