Non-desugarized and desugarizcd liquid egg whites were treated with papain prior to drying. The hydrolysis effects of papain on color, solubility, foaming capacity, angel food cake volume and gel strength of egg white solids were evaluated. The color of non-desugarized egg white solid prepared with papain treatment was darker than those of the non-treated controls. This darkening was reduced in the desugarized egg solids. Regardless of desugarization treatment, the foaming capacity and cake volume of egg white solids increased (P < 0.05), while get strength decreased (P < 0.05) for the papain treatment. In addition, the more papain used, the better (P < 0.05) the solubility, foaming capacity and cake volume performances. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.