Pasteurization of intact shell eggs

The feasibility of pasteurization for destruction of Salmonella enteritidis in artificially-inoculated intact shell eggs was investigated. Water-bath and hot air ovens were used for pasteurization of intact shell eggs under different conditions using these two heating methods, either individually or in combination. Eggs pasteurized in a 57 degrees C circulating water-bath for 25 min gave reductions in S. enteritidis ATCC 13076 of about 3 log cycles whereas heating at 55 degrees C in a hot air oven for 180 min gave a 5 log reduction of S. enteritidis. A combination of the two methods (water-bath heating at 57 degrees C for 25 min followed by hot-air heating at 55 degrees C for 60 min) produced 7 log reductions in S. enteritidis ATCC 13076 in shell eggs. Examination of lysozyme activity and other physical properties of egg white upon heating indicated that the overall functionality of pasteurized shell eggs are acceptable under the heating conditions defined in this study. This process may be used to produce safe, pasteurized shell eggs. (C) 1996 Academic Press Limited