eiwitaanhechting

Eiwtitaanhechting, literally egg-white adhesion, is a term used to describe the adhesive properties of egg white proteins. The word combines eiwit (egg white) and aanhechten (to attach). In culinary and biomaterials contexts, it refers to the capacity of egg white proteins to bind to surfaces, other ingredients, or tissues upon hydration and heating.

Chemically, egg white is mostly water with dissolved proteins, including ovalbumin, ovotransferrin, ovomucoid, and ovomucin. When beaten or heated, these proteins unfold and form a three-dimensional network that can trap water and create a gel. This network enables adhesion to various substrates: it can seal pastry edges, cling toppings, or bind ingredients in composite foods. Heating typically initiates coagulation around 60–70°C, strengthening the matrix and its bonding effect.

Applications and relevance include cooking, where egg wash serves as a glaze that promotes browning and helps toppings adhere to surfaces. In manufacturing and research, egg-white adhesion provides a simple model system for studying bioadhesion, film formation, and biopolymer interactions on hydrophilic and mildly hydrophobic surfaces. Compared with synthetic adhesives, egg-white bonding is generally weaker, moisture-sensitive, and reversible on rehydration or prolonged heating.

Limitations include sensitivity to humidity, salt, fats, and pH; high fat or sugar content can weaken adhesion. In culinary use, fresh eggs tend to produce stronger glazes than older eggs due to intact protein structure.

See also: albumin, ovalbumin, bioadhesives, coagulation, food science, egg wash.