A Description of the Process of Egg Foam Formation

As eggs are whipped, two things happen simultaneously. Air bubbles are beaten into the liquid, and certain egg proteins denature or unfold. The unfolded proteins quickly move through the liquid to the surface of the bubbles (Figure 10.7). Once there, neighboring proteins bond or aggregate around the bubbles, forming a filmy network. Surrounded by these strong, flexible films, air bubbles are less likely to collapse, so more bubbles can be beaten in, even as the walls of the film thin out.