Radio frequency may speed up egg pasteurization
U.S. Dept. of Agriculture scientists have developed a technology that may rapidly pasteurize eggs, therefore reducing the number of illnesses caused each year by Salmonella.
U.S. Dept. of Agriculture scientists have developed a technology that may rapidly pasteurize eggs, therefore reducing the number of illnesses caused each year by Salmonella. Published in AgResearch magazine, David Geveke, a chemical engineer at the USDA Agriculture Research Service (ARS) Food Safety and Intervention Technologies Research Unit in Wyndmoor, Pa., uses radio frequency waves to heat eggs and reduce Salmonella without damaging egg whites.
Overall, less than 3% of the 74 billion fresh eggs produced and sold to U.S. consumers each year are pasteurized. Current pasteurization methods involve immersing eggs in hot water (130°F–140°F). The process takes about an hour and adds approximately $1.50 to the retail price of a dozen eggs. It also can cause proteins in the heat-sensitive egg whites to break down and coagulate during cooking.
According to Geveke, the patented radio frequency process is faster and ensures that the protein-rich yolk gets more heat than the egg white. It also should lower the cost of pasteurization, thereby reducing the price of pasteurized eggs on store shelves. Radio frequency (RF) technology is already used to reduce pathogens in almonds, spices, wheat flour and other food products.
Geveke and his colleagues have published results showing that the RF treatment reduced pathogen levels by 99.999%, which is comparable to eggs pasteurized in hot water. The entire process also took about 23 minutes, making it almost three times faster than using hot water.