Could UV processing provide safe liquid egg products too?
Extensive thermal pasteurization, though effective for other types of food, damages the functional properties of egg whites, so USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service asked ERRC to investigate. ERRC researchers combined UV and heat treatments to kill E. coli in liquid egg whites. Whites infected with E. coli O157:H7 were processed using a simple UV apparatus consisting of a low-pressure mercury lamp surrounded by a coil of UV-transparent tubing. The scientists found that UV treatment at room temperature can significantly reduce the heat subsequently required to pasteurize liquid egg whites. Irradiation exposes food to a low level of ionizing radiation to kill bacteria, molds, yeasts, parasites, and other microorganisms that can lead to food spoilage and illness if untreated. ERRC is the only federally funded and operated food irradiation research facility in the United States. Over the last 25 years, studies have shown that eating irradiated foods poses no increased health risks for
