Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (697 words), 10 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
The white of an egg, especially a chicken's egg, used in cooking. It contains albumin. (Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2d ed)
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Egg Whites.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Eggs
- See also
- Ovalbumin
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 3,328 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Egg White” (counts retrieved 2026-10-31). 453 of them (13.6%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 1,920 records.
Reviews account for 66 records (2.0%) and meta-analyses for 1. Randomized controlled trials number 33 (1.0%) as a share of all records on the topic. Randomized trials make up only a small share of this literature, so much of what is known comes from laboratory, observational or descriptive work.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 1,920 |
| 2000-2009 | 374 |
| 2010-2019 | 581 |
| 2020 onward | 453 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 66 | 2.0% |
| Meta-analyses | 1 | 0.0% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 33 | 1.0% |
Method: PubMed query "Egg White"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-31.
Reading the evidence in anatomy and physiology
Anatomy describes how body structures are built and physiology describes how they normally work, so most findings here are descriptive or mechanistic rather than evidence about treatment. Much of what is known comes from dissection, imaging, tissue studies and experiments in animals, and measurements in healthy volunteers can differ from those in people with disease or at different ages. Normal ranges vary between individuals and populations. Check whether a result was measured in people or in another species, the age and health of the participants, and the method used.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Efficient production of human interferon beta in the white of eggs from ovalbumin gene-targeted hens | 2018 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 77 | cc by PMID 29976933 · DOI · PMC6033876 |
| Selection and characterization of DNA aptamers for egg white lysozyme | 2010 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 65 | cc by PMID 20335968 · DOI · PMC6257241 |
| Pepsin Egg White Hydrolysate Ameliorates Obesity-Related Oxidative Stress, Inflammation and Steatosis in Zucker Fatty Rats | 2016 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 55 | cc by PMID 26985993 · DOI · PMC4795625 |
| Valorization of egg-white byproducts into biodegradable hydrogels: Processing optimization and functional properties | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 1 | cc by PMID 41605027 · DOI · PMC12870771 |
Efficient production of human interferon beta in the white of eggs from ovalbumin gene-targeted hens [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Transgenic chickens could potentially serve as bioreactors for commercial production of recombinant proteins in egg white.
- Closing excerpt
- These results suggest that transgene insertion at the chicken ovalbumin locus can result in abundant and stable expression of an exogenous protein deposited into egg white and should be amenable to industrial applications.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (199 words)
Transgenic chickens could potentially serve as bioreactors for commercial production of recombinant proteins in egg white. Many transgenic chickens have been generated by randomly integrating viral vectors into their genomes, but transgene expression has proved insufficient and/or limited to the initial cohort. Herein, we demonstrate the feasibility of integrating human interferon beta (hIFN-β) into the chicken ovalbumin locus and producing hIFN-β in egg white. We knocked in hIFN-β into primordial germ cells using a CRISPR/Cas9 protocol and then generated germline chimeric roosters by cell transplantation into recipient embryos. Two generation-zero founder roosters produced hIFN-β knock-in offspring, and all knock-in female offspring produced abundant egg-white hIFN-β (~3.5 mg/ml). Although female offspring of the first generation were sterile, their male counterparts were fertile and produced a second generation of knock-in hens, for which egg-white hIFN-β production was comparable with that of the first generation. The hIFN-β bioactivity represented only ~5% of total egg-white hIFN-β, but unfolding and refolding of hIFN-β in the egg white fully recovered the bioactivity. These results suggest that transgene insertion at the chicken ovalbumin locus can result in abundant and stable expression of an exogenous protein deposited into egg white and should be amenable to industrial applications.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 29976933 · DOI · PMC6033876
Selection and characterization of DNA aptamers for egg white lysozyme [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- We have selected aptamers binding to lysozyme from a DNA library using capillary electrophoresis-systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment.
- Closing excerpt
- The high affinity aptamers open up possibilities for the development of aptamer based food and medical diagnostics.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (108 words)
We have selected aptamers binding to lysozyme from a DNA library using capillary electrophoresis-systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment. During the selection process the dissociation constant of the ssDNA pool decreased from the micromolar to the low nanomolar range within five rounds of selection. The final aptamer had a dissociation constant of 2.8 +/- 0.3 nM, 6.1 +/- 0.5 nM, and 52.9 +/- 9.1 nM as determined by fluorescence anisotropy, surface plasmon resonance and affinity capillary electrophoresis respectively. The aptamers were successfully challenged for specificity against other egg white proteins. The high affinity aptamers open up possibilities for the development of aptamer based food and medical diagnostics.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 20335968 · DOI · PMC6257241
Pepsin Egg White Hydrolysate Ameliorates Obesity-Related Oxidative Stress, Inflammation and Steatosis in Zucker Fatty Rats [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of the administration of egg white hydrolysates on obesity-related disorders, with a focus on lipid metabolism, inflammation and oxidative stress, in Zucker fatty rats.
- Closing excerpt
- Pepsin egg white hydrolysate could be used as a tool to improve obesity-related complications.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (141 words)
The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of the administration of egg white hydrolysates on obesity-related disorders, with a focus on lipid metabolism, inflammation and oxidative stress, in Zucker fatty rats. Obese Zucker rats received water, pepsin egg white hydrolysate (750 mg/kg/day) or Rhizopus aminopeptidase egg white hydrolysate (750 mg/kg/day) for 12 weeks. Lean Zucker rats received water. Body weight, solid and liquid intakes were weekly measured. At the end of the study, urine, faeces, different organs and blood samples were collected. The consumption of egg white hydrolysed with pepsin significantly decreased the epididymal adipose tissue, improved hepatic steatosis, and lowered plasmatic concentration of free fatty acids in the obese animals. It also decreased plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and reduced oxidative stress. Pepsin egg white hydrolysate could be used as a tool to improve obesity-related complications.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 26985993 · DOI · PMC4795625
Valorization of egg-white byproducts into biodegradable hydrogels: Processing optimization and functional properties [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- The growing accumulation of inedible abnormal eggs and environmental concerns regarding petroleum-based superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) in food packaging underscore the need for sustainable, food-derived alternatives.
- Closing excerpt
- Overall, controlled chemical modification of egg-white proteins enables the production of sustainable, biodegradable hydrogels as promising alternatives to petroleum-based absorbent materials.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (249 words)
The growing accumulation of inedible abnormal eggs and environmental concerns regarding petroleum-based superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) in food packaging underscore the need for sustainable, food-derived alternatives. In this study, biodegradable egg-white hydrogels were developed through controlled acylation and crosslinking to enhance absorbency and structural stability. Processing optimization of lyophilization, heating, and grinding reduced production time from 4 to 1.5 days and significantly improved water uptake (p < 0.05). Among protein concentrations tested, a 4% (w/w) egg-white solution achieved the optimal balance between gel stability and water uptake, exhibiting significantly higher swelling capacity than lower or higher concentrations (p < 0.05). Chemical modification using succinic anhydride (SA) or ethylenediaminetetraacetic dianhydride (EDTAD), combined with glycerol (G) or N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA), produced five hydrogel formulations. Although SG (SA + G) and EG (EDTAD + G) showed lower initial swelling capacity than EM (EDTAD + MBA), both SG and EG exhibited significantly higher water-holding and reswelling capacities compared with EM (p < 0.05). Rheological analysis indicated that SG possessed the highest storage modulus (G') and lowest tan δ, characteristic of a predominantly elastic network, whereas EG displayed increased viscosity and plasticity due to enhanced hydrophilicity. In contrast, MBA-crosslinked hydrogels showed weaker network formation and limited swelling performance. Soil burial tests demonstrated that SG and EG hydrogels degraded more rapidly than commercial water beads and promoted greater microbial growth within 7 days (p < 0.05). Overall, controlled chemical modification of egg-white proteins enables the production of sustainable, biodegradable hydrogels as promising alternatives to petroleum-based absorbent materials.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 41605027 · DOI · PMC12870771
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Egg proteins and peptides in human health--chemistry, bioactivity and production [5]
- Research article Protein proteinase inhibitors from avian egg whites [6]
- Research article An insight on egg white: From most common functional food to biomaterial application [7]
- Research article Egg white versus Salmonella Enteritidis! A harsh medium meets a resilient pathogen [8]
- Research article Is it possible to make a diagnosis of raw, heated, and baked egg allergy in children using cutoffs? A systematic review [9]
- Research article The Nutraceutical Properties of Ovotransferrin and Its Potential Utilization as a Functional Food [10]
References
- Oishi I, Yoshii K, Miyahara D, Tagami T. Efficient production of human interferon beta in the white of eggs from ovalbumin gene-targeted hens. . 2018. PMID 29976933 · DOI · PMC6033876
- Tran DT, Janssen KP, Pollet J, Lammertyn E, Anné J, Van Schepdael A, et al.. Selection and characterization of DNA aptamers for egg white lysozyme. . 2010. PMID 20335968 · DOI · PMC6257241
- Garcés-Rimón M, González C, Uranga JA, López-Miranda V, López-Fandiño R, Miguel M. Pepsin Egg White Hydrolysate Ameliorates Obesity-Related Oxidative Stress, Inflammation and Steatosis in Zucker Fatty Rats. . 2016. PMID 26985993 · DOI · PMC4795625
- Chang YS, Chen JW, Wang SY, Chen YC. Valorization of egg-white byproducts into biodegradable hydrogels: Processing optimization and functional properties. . 2026. PMID 41605027 · DOI · PMC12870771
- Mine Y. Egg proteins and peptides in human health--chemistry, bioactivity and production. Curr Pharm Des. 2007. PMID 17430187 · DOI
- Saxena I, Tayyab S. Protein proteinase inhibitors from avian egg whites. Cell Mol Life Sci. 1997. PMID 9117993 · DOI · PMC11147361
- Dong X, Zhang YQ. An insight on egg white: From most common functional food to biomaterial application. J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater. 2021. PMID 33252178 · DOI
- Baron F, Nau F, Guérin-Dubiard C, Bonnassie S, Gautier M, Andrews SC, et al.. Egg white versus Salmonella Enteritidis! A harsh medium meets a resilient pathogen. Food Microbiol. 2016. PMID 26678134 · DOI
- Calvani M, Arasi S, Bianchi A, Caimmi D, Cuomo B, Dondi A, et al.. Is it possible to make a diagnosis of raw, heated, and baked egg allergy in children using cutoffs? A systematic review. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2015. PMID 26102461 · DOI
- Giansanti F, Leboffe L, Angelucci F, Antonini G. The Nutraceutical Properties of Ovotransferrin and Its Potential Utilization as a Functional Food. Nutrients. 2015. PMID 26556366 · DOI · PMC4663581
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-31.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.