Ultrapasteurization of liquid whole egg products with direct heat
AssigneeNorth Carolina State University
InventorsKenneth R. Swartzel, Hershell R. Ball, Jr., Jeffery W. Liebrecht
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Abstract
A method of continuously ultrapasteurizing liquid whole egg products is disclosed. The method provides improved run times and product viscosity control. In an embodiment of the method, the product is heated by contacting the product to a heated surface, heated by contacting the product to steam, held at the temperature to which it has been heated for a time sufficient to produce a nine log cycle reduction in Listeria monocytogenes therein, homogenized, cooled and aseptically packaged.
Claims18
A method of ultrapasteurizing a liquid whole egg product while passing the product as a continuous stream through a pasteurizing apparatus, comprising:
- (a) heating the product to a first predetermined temperature;
- then
- (b) maintaining the product at said first predetermined temperature for a first predetermined holding time;
- then
- (c) heating the product to a second predetermined temperature by contacting the product to steam,;
- then
- (d) maintaining the product at said second predetermined temperature for a second predetermined holding time sufficient to cause a nine log cycle reduction of Listeria monocytogenes in said product;
- then
- (e) cooling said product;
- and then
- (f) aseptically packaging said product, wherein the product is maintained at not less than atmospheric pressure from the time the product is heated to said second predetermined temperature to the time the product is packaged.
A method of ultrapasteurizing a liquid whole egg product while passing the product as a continuous stream through a pasteurizing apparatus, comprising:
- (a) heating the product to a first predetermined temperature;
- then
- (b) maintaining the product at said first predetermined temperature for a first predetermined holding time;
- then
- (c) heating the product to a second predetermined temperature by injecting steam under pressure into said continuous stream, wherein the injected steam pressure is greater than the backpressure of said continuous stream, and wherein the backpressure of the continuous stream is at least about 10 p.s.i. greater than atmospheric pressure;
- then
- (d) maintaining the product at said second predetermined temperature for a time sufficient to cause a nine log cycle reduction of Listeria monocytogenes in said product;
- then
- (e) cooling said product;
- and
- (f) aseptically packaging said product.
A method of ultrapasteurizing a liquid whole egg product while passing the product as a continuous stream through a pasteurizing apparatus, comprising:
- (a) heating the product to a first predetermined temperature of at least about 136.degree. F.;
- then
- (b) maintaining the product at said first predetermined temperature for a first predetermined holding time;
- then
- (c) heating the product by not more than about 20.degree. F. to a second predetermined temperature by contacting the product to steam;
- then
- (d) maintaining the product at said second predetermined temperature for a time sufficient to cause a nine log cycle reduction of Listeria monocytogenes in said product;
- then
- (e) cooling said product;
- and then
- (f) aseptically packaging said product, wherein the product is maintained at not less than atmospheric pressure from the time the product is heated to said second predetermined temperature to the time the product is packaged.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.