Process for continuously forming a raw egg product
AssigneeTyson Foods, Inc.
InventorsZachary T. Young, Robert L. Hill, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In accordance with this disclosure, a process for producing egg products is provided. The process comprises: (a) providing a raw egg mixture, wherein the raw egg mixture includes a plurality of egg components; (b) mixing the raw egg mixture; (c) lowering the temperature of the raw egg mixture to a level sufficient to cause the raw egg mixture to have a semi-solid state; and (d) after step (c), while maintaining the temperature of the raw egg mixture at a level sufficient to cause the raw egg mixture to have a semi-solid state, continuously forming the semi-solid raw egg mixture into a plurality of shaped and portioned semi-solid raw egg products.
Claims21
A process for producing egg products, comprising:
- (a) providing a raw egg mixture, wherein said raw egg mixture includes a plurality of egg components;
- (b) mixing said raw egg mixture;
- (c) lowering the temperature of said raw egg mixture to a level sufficient to cause said raw egg mixture to have a semi-solid state;
- and
- (d) after step (c), while maintaining the temperature of the raw egg mixture at a level sufficient to cause the raw egg mixture to have a semi-solid state, continuously forming said semi-solid raw egg mixture into a plurality of shaped and portioned semi-solid raw egg products.
A process for continuously producing raw egg products, comprising:
- (a) providing a raw egg mixture;
- wherein said raw egg mixture includes a plurality of egg components;
- (b) mixing said raw egg mixture;
- (c) lowering the temperature of said raw egg mixture to a level sufficient to cause the raw egg mixture to have a semi-solid state;
- (d) after step (c), while maintaining said raw egg mixture at a temperature sufficient to cause the raw egg mixture to have a semi-solid state, continuously forming said semi-solid raw egg mixture into a plurality of shaped and portioned semi-solid raw egg products, wherein the temperature to which the raw egg mixture is lowered in accordance with step (c) and maintained in accordance with step (d) is in the range of about 16° F. to about 30° F.;
- (e) after step (d), while maintaining the temperature of the shaped and portioned raw egg products at a level sufficient to cause the shaped and portioned raw egg products to have a semi-solid state, freezing the shaped and portioned raw egg products formed in accordance with step (d);
- and
- (f) after step (e), packaging the frozen shaped and portioned raw egg products formed in accordance with step (d).
A process for continuously producing raw egg products, comprising:
- (a) providing a raw egg mixture;
- wherein said raw egg mixture includes a plurality of egg components and an additional component selected from the group consisting of one or more food items, one or more functional ingredients, one or more flavoring ingredients, and combinations thereof;
- (b) mixing said raw egg mixture;
- (c) lowering the temperature of said raw egg mixture to a level sufficient to cause the raw egg mixture to have a semi-solid state;
- (d) after step (c), while maintaining said raw egg mixture at a temperature sufficient to cause the raw egg mixture to have a semi-solid state, continuously forming said semi-solid raw egg mixture into a plurality of shaped and portioned semi-solid raw egg products, wherein the temperature to which the raw egg mixture is lowered in accordance with step (c) and maintained in accordance with step (d) is in the range of about 20° F. to about 28° F., and wherein said process as a whole is carried out on a continuous basis;
- (e) after step (d), while maintaining the temperature of the shaped and portioned raw egg products at a level sufficient to cause the shaped and portioned raw egg products to have a semi-solid state, continuously freezing the shaped and portioned raw egg products formed in accordance with step (d);
- and
- (f) after step (e), while maintaining the temperature of the shaped and portioned raw egg products at a level sufficient to cause the shaped and portioned raw egg products to have a semi-solid state, continuously packaging the shaped and portioned raw egg products formed in accordance with step (d).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.