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UV Inactivation of E. coli in Liquid Egg White

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Abstract

Liquid egg white is currently pasteurized using heat; however, this treatment damages the functional properties of the egg. In this study, a nonthermal ultraviolet light (UV) system was developed to pasteurize liquid egg white. The system consisted of low-pressure mercury bulbs surrounded by UV transparent tubing. Egg white was inoculated with Escherichia coli K12 and pumped through the UV system at a flow rate of 330 ml/min. The effects of treatment time (0 to 160 s), temperature (30 to 50 °C), and egg white pH (7 to 9) on the inactivation of E. coli were investigated. The population of E. coli in egg white was reduced by 4.3 log after being exposed to UV at 50 °C for 160 s. Inactivation was linearly dependent on treatment time and was adequately described using first-order kinetics (r 2 of 0.94). The electrical energy of the process was calculated to be 44 J/ml. Inactivation was directly dependent on temperature and inversely dependent on pH. Nonthermal UV processing has the potential to improve the safety and functional properties of liquid egg white.

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Acknowledgment

The author thanks G. Boyd and K. Y. Snipes of the US Department of Agriculture, Wyndmoor, PA, USA, for microbiological support. Also, the author thanks R. E. Radewonuk of the USDA, Wyndmoor, PA, USA, for engineering support, as well as Professor M. M. Farid of the University of Auckland, New Zealand, and Dr. H. R. Ball of Michael Foods, Gaylord, MN, USA, for insightful comments.

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  1. Food Safety Intervention Technologies Research Unit, Eastern Regional Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, 600 East Mermaid Lane, Wyndmoor, PA, 19038, USA

    David J. Geveke

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  1. David J. Geveke
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Correspondence to David J. Geveke.

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Mention of trade names or commercial products in this publication is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the US Department of Agriculture.

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Geveke, D.J. UV Inactivation of E. coli in Liquid Egg White. Food Bioprocess Technol 1, 201–206 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11947-008-0070-1

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