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Egg Products and Food Safety
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Of the 76 billion eggs
consumed in 2004, more than 30 percent were in the form of egg
products (eggs removed from their shells). Liquid, frozen, and
dried egg products are widely used by the foodservice industry
and as ingredients in other foods, such as prepared mayonnaise
and ice cream.
What Are Egg Products?
The term "egg products" refers to eggs that are removed
from their shells for processing. The processing of egg products
includes breaking eggs, filtering, mixing, stabilizing, blending,
pasteurizing, cooling, freezing or drying, and packaging. This
is done at United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-inspected
plants.
Egg products include whole eggs, whites, yolks and various blends
with or without non-egg ingredients that are processed and pasteurized
and may be available in liquid, frozen, and dried forms.
Are Egg Products New?
Egg products are not a new invention. Commercial egg drying
began in St. Louis, Missouri, about 1880. The first commercial
production of frozen whole eggs began in 1903; separated eggs,
in 1912. 1951 saw the first commercial egg breaking machines.
No-cholesterol refrigerated or frozen egg substitutes first
became available to consumers in 1973. They consist of egg whites,
artificial color, and other non-egg additives. Specific questions
about egg substitutes should be directed to the manufacturer
or to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Who Inspects Egg Products?
Congress passed the Egg Products Inspection Act (EPIA) in 1970.
The EPIA provides for the mandatory continuous inspection of
the processing of liquid, frozen, and dried egg products. For
the next 25 years, the Poultry Division of USDA's Agricultural
Marketing Service inspected egg products to ensure they were
wholesome, otherwise not adulterated, and properly labeled and
packaged to protect the health and welfare of consumers.
In 1995, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) became
responsible for the inspection of egg products. FSIS inspects
all egg products, with the exception of those products exempted
under the Act, that are used by food manufacturers, foodservice,
institutions, and retail markets. Officially inspected egg products
will bear the USDA inspection mark. In 2004, FSIS inspected
3.2 billion pounds of egg products.
The Department of Health and Human Services' FDA is responsible
for the inspection of egg substitutes, imitation eggs, and similar
products which are exempted from continuous inspection under
the EPIA.
Are All Egg Products from the U.S.?
Currently, Canada is the only active exporter of egg products
to the United States. The EPIA specifies that egg products may
not be imported into the United States except from countries
which have an egg products inspection system equivalent to that
in this country.
Why Are Egg Products Useful?
Egg products are used widely by the foodservice industry and
the commercial food industry. They are scrambled or made into
omelets, or used as ingredients in egg dishes or other foods
such as mayonnaise or ice cream. Food manufacturers use pasteurized
egg products because of their convenience and ease in handling
and storing. Because egg products are pasteurized, institutional
foodservice operators, such as fast food chains, restaurants,
hospitals, and nursing homes, use egg products to ensure a high
level of food safety. Some egg products are sold in retail food
stores.
How Are Egg Products Made?
Egg products are processed in sanitary facilities under continuous
inspection by the USDA. The initial step in making egg products
is breaking the eggs and separating the yolks and whites from
the shells. Eggs are processed by automated equipment that moves
the eggs from flats, washes and sanitizes the shells, breaks
eggs and separates the whites and yolks, and/or makes mixtures
of them. The liquid egg product is filtered, mixed, and then
chilled prior to additional processing.
Why and How Are Egg Products Pasteurized?
The law requires that all egg products distributed for consumption
be pasteurized. This means that they must be rapidly heated
and held at a minimum required temperature for a specified time.
This destroys Salmonella, but it does not cook the
eggs or affect their color, flavor, nutritional value, or use.
Dried whites are pasteurized by heating in the dried form, again
for a specified time and at a minimum required temperature.
Since many new and different types of egg products are now being
formulated, government and industry are currently evaluating
the effectiveness of the pasteurization processes used for these
and other products. Additional research will determine if supplemental
or different safety measures are warranted to continue to provide
safe egg products for foodservice, industry, and consumers.
Are All Egg Products Pasteurized?
Certain commodities are not presently considered egg products
and are exempt from this law. These commodities, which are under
the jurisdiction of the FDA, include freeze-dried products,
imitation egg products, and egg substitutes. Inspected, pasteurized
egg products are used to make these commodities, and companies
may elect to re-pasteurize these products following formulation
and before packaging.
Can Egg Products Be Used As An Ingredient In Uncooked
Foods?
Egg products can be used in baking or cooking (scrambled eggs,
for example). They are pasteurized but are best used in a cooked
product, especially if serving high-risk persons, that is, infants
and young children, pregnant women and their unborn babies,
older adults and people with weakened immune systems (such as
those with HIV/AIDS, cancer, diabetes, kidney disease, and transplant
patients). Use a food thermometer to be sure that the internal
temperature of the cooked product reaches 160 °F.
Egg products can be substituted in recipes typically made with
raw eggs that won't be cooked (for example, Caesar salad, Hollandaise
sauce, eggnog, homemade mayonnaise, ice cream, and key lime
pie). The USDA does not recommend eating raw shell eggs that
are not cooked or undercooked due to the possibility that Salmonella
bacteria may be present.
Buying Tips for Egg Products
Buy only pasteurized egg products that bear the USDA inspection
mark. Make sure containers are tightly sealed. Frozen products
should show no signs of thawing. Refrigerated products should
be kept at 40 °F or below. Dried egg products should not
be caked or hardened.
What is Dried Egg Mix?
USDA Dried Egg Mix is a blend of dried whole eggs, nonfat dry
milk, soybean oil, and a small amount of salt. There is very
little moisture in it. To reconstitute, blend 2 tablespoons
of Dried Egg Mix with ¼ cup water to make the equivalent
of one large whole egg.
Dried Egg Mix is packaged in 6-ounce pouches, equivalent to
about 6 eggs each. It is distributed by USDA to food banks,
Indian reservations, and other needy family outlets, and is
also used in disaster feeding (for hurricane and flood victims,
for example). Dried egg mix was initially developed for the
military during the 1930's.
A similar product called All Purpose Egg Mix, containing a greater
proportion of eggs, is now being manufactured for USDA. It is
reconstituted by mixing one part egg mix with two parts of water
(by weight). All Purpose Egg Mix is available to schools as
part of the School Lunch Program. It is packaged in 10-pound
bags.
Safe Handling and Storage of Egg Products
Safe storage and handling is necessary for all egg products
to prevent bacterial contamination. Here are recommendations
from USDA:
- For best quality, store frozen egg products up to one
year. Check to be sure your freezer is set at 0 °F or
lower. After thawing, do not refreeze.
- Thaw frozen egg products in the refrigerator or under
cold running water. DO NOT THAW ON THE COUNTER.
- If the container for liquid products bears a "use-by"
date, observe it. Follow the storage and handling instructions
provided by the manufacturer.
- For liquid products without an expiration date, store
unopened containers at 40 °F or below for up to 7 days
(not to exceed 3 days after opening). Do not freeze opened
cartons of liquid egg products.
- Unopened dried egg products and egg white solids can be
stored at room temperature as long as they are kept cool
and dry. After opening, store in the refrigerator.
- Reconstituted egg products should be used immediately
or refrigerated and used that day.
- USDA Commodity Dried Egg Mix should be stored at less
than 50 °F, preferably in the refrigerator (at 40 °F
or below). After opening, use within 7 to 10 days. Reconstitute
only the amount needed at one time. Use reconstituted egg
mix immediately or refrigerate and use within 1 hour.
Nutrition of Egg Products
Eggs are still considered one of nature's most complete foods.
With the implementation of the Nutrition Labeling and Education
Act in 1994, egg products sold at retail are also required to
bear nutrition labeling. The "Nutrition Facts" panel
will tell you the nutrient composition of that specific product
per serving and its contribution to your overall diet.
Labels on Egg Products
In addition to nutrition information on consumer packages, other
labeling information is required for egg products. All egg products
must be labeled with:
- the common or usual name and (if the product is comprised
of two or more ingredients) the ingredients listed in the
order of descending proportions;
- the name and address of the packer or distributor;
- the date of pack which may be shown as a lot number or
production code number;
- the net contents;
- the official USDA inspection mark and establishment number.
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Last Modified:
August 21, 2006 |
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