An investigation was made of the enzymatic hydrolysis of ovalbumin (OVA), a major allergen in egg white, by various acid and alkaline proteases. Protease YP-SS (acid protease) from Aspergillus niger and alcalase (alkaline protease) from BacilLus licheniformis were found to be useful for the degradation of OVA, respectively. OVA was almost totally hydrolyzed within 15 hr at 37°C by alcalase. Alcalase acted rapidly to hydrolyze OVA, with about 90% of OVA being hydrolyzed within 3Omin., the

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... n then proceeded more slowly. The antigenicity of the OVA hydrolysate was investigated with IgG raised in rats against OVA and it was apparent that the antigenicity had been almost completely destroyed.