Experimental Analysis of the Egg White Cooking Process through a Trifactorial Design

Elizabeth Puelles Bulnes M.; Espinoza V.A.A.; Atoche Puelles A.L.; Fernanda Mendieta Pisco N.; Verónica Montalvo Correa C.; Fernanda Camacho Noriega D.; Walter Colan Ramos A. · Proceedings of the LACCEI international Multi-conference for Engineering, Education and Technology (2026) · DOI: 10.18687/laccei2026.1.1.2758

Resumen

Thermal process optimization in the food industry is essential for reducing variability and improving operational standardization. This study, developed by Industrial Engineering students as part of the experimental activities of the Design of Experiments course, evaluated the effect of egg type, oil type, and pan type on egg white cooking time using a 2×2×2 trifactorial design with two replicates (16 experimental runs) conducted under strict principles of randomization, replication, and control of external variables. Data were processed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) at a 95% confidence level to determine the statistical significance of main effects and their interactions. Cooking surface material was the only main factor with a statistically significant effect (p < .05), producing an average difference of approximately 50 seconds between the Teflon pan (≈120 s) and the stainless-steel pan (≈170 s); a simple linear regression model confirmed this relationship with a coefficient of determination of R2 = 0.963. A statistically significant interaction between egg type and oil type was also identified, indicating that the effect of one factor depends on the level of the other. This behavior is attributed to differences in heat transfer, thermal diffusivity, and thermal inertia between the evaluated materials. The study allowed students to apply advanced statistical tools (Excel and SPSS v.31) in a practical setting, strengthening their competencies in systems analysis and process optimization. It is concluded that proper equipment selection and the strategic combination of process inputs are decisive for optimizing cycle time, providing quantitative evidence for decision-making in food processes and demonstrating that systematic experimentation is essential for improving efficiency in both academic and industrial contexts.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos; Universidad Ricardo Palma; Universidad Nacional del Callao