Recent research advances in delivery systems based on the assembly of egg white proteins: Structure design and applications in the food industry

The application of unstable nutraceuticals in food formulation will be encouraged by designing delivery vehicles through the assembly of biopolymers at a variety of scales, from nanoscopic to macroscopic. Due to their high nutritional value and natural occurrence, egg white proteins (EWPs) have garnered interests recently for use as building blocks. In this review, the physicochemical properties of EWPs and the main techniques to promote their assembly were discussed at first. Following that, a thorough summary of current research was provided on the biopolymer- and emulsion-type carriers, which were created by assembling EWPs with or without the presence of exogenous proteins, polysaccharides, polyphenols, or functional groups. Furthermore, these carriers' stabilizing effects on curcumin, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, catechins, anthocyanins, carotenoids and resveratrol were categorized and emphasized. Lastly, we put forth the concerns and further perspectives of the EWPs-based delivery systems. A deeper comprehension of the relationship between structure and function clarifies the rational designation of EWPs-based carriers with desired properties.