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Food Safety and Inspection
Service United States Department of Agriculture Washington, D.C. 20250-3700 |
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Food Safety and Inspection
Service United States Department of Agriculture Washington, D.C. 20250-3700 |
When consumers think of an egg, most picture a pristine white -- sometimes brown, oval shell containing a completely edible, versatile food. But of the 62 billion eggs consumed in 1994, more than 25 percent were in the form of egg products (eggs removed from their shells).
Liquid, frozen and dried egg products are widely used by the food service industry and as ingredients in other foods, such as prepared mayonnaise and ice cream. The following information may break ground on your knowledge of egg products.
The term "egg products" refers to eggs that have been 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 official plants.
Basic 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.
Egg products are not an invention of the 1980s or even the 1970s. 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.
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.
On May 28, 1995, USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) became responsible for the inspection of egg products when elements of various USDA agencies were combined into one food safety agency. FSIS inspects all egg products, with the exception of those products exempted under the Act, that are used by food manufacturers, food service, institutions, and retail markets. The Department of Health and Human Services' Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for the inspection of egg substitutes, imitation eggs and similar products which are exempted from continuous inspection under the EPIA.
Currently, only Canada is exporting 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.
Egg products are used widely by the food service industry and the commercial food industry. They are prepared for consumption or used as ingredients in other foods. Food manufacturers like pasteurized egg products because of their convenience and ease in handling and storing. Institutional food service operators, such as fast food chains, restaurants, hospitals and nursing homes, use egg products to ensure a high level of food safety. Consumers are starting to see more egg products in retail food stores.
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 which: 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.
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 to support the research previously done will determine if supplemental or different safety measures are warranted to continue to provide safe egg products for food service and industry and consumers.
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. Officially inspected egg products will bear the USDA inspection mark.
No-cholesterol 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.
Egg products can be used in baking or cooking (scrambled eggs, for example). They have been pasteurized but are best used in a cooked product. Consumers should be sure that the internal temperature of the cooked product reaches 160 °F.
The USDA does not recommend eating uncooked fresh, shell eggs due to the possibility that Salmonella bacteria may be present. Some recipes are typically made with raw eggs that won't be cooked to 160 °F (Caesar salad, Hollandaise sauce, eggnog, homemade mayonnaise, ice cream, and key lime pie, for example). Egg products can be substituted in these recipes. Although pasteurized, for optimal safety, it is best to start with a cooked base, especially if serving high risk persons, that is, the elderly, children, and immunocompromised individuals.
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.
It is a dried egg product initially developed for the military during the 1930's. 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 1/4 cup of "Dried Egg Mix" with 1/4 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).
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.
Proper storage and handling is necessary for all egg products to prevent bacterial contamination. Here are some recommendations from USDA:
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.
In addition to nutrition information on consumer packages, other labeling information is required for egg products. All egg products must be labeled with:
For Further Information Contact:
FSIS Food Safety Education Staff
Meat and Poultry Hotline:
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