DEGRADATION OF THE O‐GLYCOSIDICALLY LINKED CARBOHYDRATE UNITS OF OVOMUCIN DURING EGG WHITE THINNING

Abstract

ABSTRACT β‐Elimination reaction of the O‐glycosidically linked carbohydrate units of ovomucin was followed by determining the increase of unsaturated amino acid and chromogen of glycopeptide I in alkaline solution. The Arrhenius plot for β‐elimination reaction gave an activation energy of 23 kcal/mol. During egg white thinning the O‐glycosidically linked carbohydrate units were gradually liberated from serine or threonine residues in ovomucin. It was proposed that the liberation of O‐glycosidically linked carbohydrate units might cause the deterioration of ovomucin gel structure during storage of egg.