Determination of Degradation Degree of Ovalbumin in Hen’s Egg Enzymatic Hydrolysates Using Liquid Chromatography–tandem Mass Spectrometry

Enzymatic hydrolysis of hen egg confers beneficial functionalities, but it is essential to control the progress of hydrolysis to enhance the quality and reduce allergy risk. However, a reliable method for directly controlling the progress of egg protein hydrolysis is unavailable. Focusing on ovalbumin, a major protein and allergen in egg white, we demonstrated the applicability of liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) to assess the degradation of ovalbumin in its enzymatic hydrolysates. Using immobilized Alcalase or Everlase, the degradation degree (DD) of ovalbumin was determined using LC–MS/MS; the result (8.8–95.3