Detection System for the Stiff-Peak Stage in Egg Whites Based on Surface-Tension Variation

Meza J.; Alejo H.; Nieves A.; Carrizales J.; Klusmann M.; Sampen L. · International Conference on Electrical, Computer, Communications and Mechatronics Engineering, ICECCME 2025 (2025) · DOI: 10.1109/iceccme64568.2025.11277828

Resumen

In the food industry, accurately determining the stiff peak phase in egg whites is crucial for products such as meringues and soufflés. Currently, this point is identified by subjective methods such as visual assessment (beater 'peak' test) or tactile assessment (inverted bowl test) [1], [2]. These approaches present low reproducibility between operators and slow down production lines. Although instrumental alternatives such as rheometry or spectroscopy exist [3], [4], their high cost and complexity make them unfeasible for large-scale industrial applications. This study presents an objective and economical method to detect the stiff peak by monitoring the electric current in a mixer at constant voltage. The central hypothesis is that changes in the mechanical strength of the foam during beating are directly reflected in variations in energy consumption [3]. The experiments showed a characteristic pattern in the current-time curve. First, a rapid increase from 0.000 A to 0.011 A, corresponding to the low viscosity of the liquid egg white. Then, progressively increasing up to 0.036 A, marking the stiff peak where the foam reaches its maximum structural strength [4], [5]. Our analysis of 15 independent tests showed that the electrical method correctly identified the stiff peak point in 86.6% of cases ± 2.1% error, 87% confidence interval) when compared to the assessment of three certified experts. The current showed a standard deviation of 0.004 A at the point of maximum resistance (0.038 ± 0.004 A}), confirming the reproducibility of the method.

Instituciones: Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas