Egg Products And Food Safety EHG674
User Manual: EHG674
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Egg Products and Food Safety
USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline
1-888-MPHotline
(1-888-674-6854)
The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is the public health
agency in the U.S. Department of Agriculture responsible for ensuring
that the nation’s commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products
is safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled and packaged.
Food Safety Information
United States Department of Agriculture
Food Safety and Inspection Service
USDA Photo
The term “egg products” refers to eggs that are 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 United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA)-inspected plants.
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 a new invention. 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. No-cholesterol refrigerated or 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
or to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
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.
In 1995, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) became
responsible for the inspection of egg products. FSIS inspects all egg
products, with the exception of those products exempted under the Act,
that are used by food manufacturers, foodservice, institutions, and retail
markets. Officially inspected egg products will bear the USDA inspection
mark. In 2004, FSIS inspected 3.2 billion pounds of egg products.
The Department of Health and Human Services’ FDA is responsible for the
inspection of egg substitutes, imitation eggs, and similar products which
are exempted from continuous inspection under the EPIA.
Of the 76 billion eggs consumed in 2004, more than 30 percent were in the form of egg products (eggs
removed from their shells). Liquid, frozen, and dried egg products are widely used by the foodservice industry
as ingredients in other foods, such as prepared mayonnaise and ice cream.
What Are Egg Products?
Are Egg Products New?
Who Inspects Egg
Products?
Egg Products and Food Safety
Food Safety Information 2
Currently, Canada is the only active exporter of 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 foodservice industry and the
commercial food industry. They are scrambled or made into omelets, or
used as ingredients in egg dishes or other foods such as mayonnaise or
ice cream. Food manufacturers use pasteurized egg products because of
their convenience and ease in handling and storing. Because egg
products are pasteurized, institutional foodservice operators, such as
fast food chains, restaurants, hospitals, and nursing homes, use egg
products to ensure a high level of food safety. Some egg products are
sold 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 that 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 will determine if supplemental or different
safety measures are warranted to continue to provide safe egg products
for foodservice, 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.
Egg products can be used in baking or cooking (scrambled eggs, for
example). They are pasteurized but are best used in a cooked product,
especially if serving high-risk persons, that is, infants and young children,
pregnant women and their unborn babies, older adults and people with
weakened immune systems (such as those with HIV/AIDS, cancer,
diabetes, kidney disease, and transplant patients). Use a food
thermometer to be sure that the internal temperature of the cooked
product reaches 160 °F.
Egg products can be substituted in recipes typically made with raw eggs
that won’t be cooked (for example, Caesar salad, Hollandaise sauce,
eggnog, homemade mayonnaise, ice cream, and key lime pie). The USDA
does not recommend eating raw shell eggs that are not cooked or
undercooked due to the possibility that Salmonella bacteria may be
present.
Are All Egg Products from
the U.S.?
Why Are Egg Products
Useful?
How Are Egg Products
Made?
Why and How Are Egg
Products Pasteurized?
Are All Egg Products
Pasteurized?
Can Egg Products Be
Used As An Ingredient In
Uncooked Foods?
Food Safety for Persons with AIDS
Food Safety Focus 3
Egg Products and Food Safety
Food Safety Information 3
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.
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 2 tablespoons 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). Dried egg mix was initially
developed for the military during the 1930’s.
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.
Safe storage and handling is necessary for all egg products to prevent
bacterial contamination. Here are recommendations from USDA:
·For best quality, store frozen egg products up to one year. Check
to be sure your freezer is set at 0 °F or lower. After thawing, do
not refreeze.
·Thaw frozen egg products in the refrigerator or under cold running
water. DO NOT THAW ON THE COUNTER.
·If the container for liquid products bears a “use-by” date, observe
it. Follow the storage and handling instructions provided by the
manufacturer.
·For liquid products without an expiration date, store unopened
containers at 40 °F or below for up to 7 days (not to exceed 3
days after opening). Do not freeze opened cartons of liquid egg
products.
·Unopened dried egg products and egg white solids can be stored
at room temperature as long as they are kept cool and dry. After
opening, store in the refrigerator.
·Reconstituted egg products should be used immediately or
refrigerated and used that day.
·USDA Commodity Dried Egg Mix should be stored at less than 50
°F, preferably in the refrigerator (at 40 °F or below). After
opening, use within 7 to 10 days. Reconstitute only the amount
needed at one time. Use reconstituted egg mix immediately or
refrigerate and use within 1 hour.
Buying Tips for Egg
Products
What is Dried Egg Mix?
Safe Handling and
Storage of Egg Products
Food Safety Questions?
Food Safety for Persons with AIDS
The USDA is an equal opportunity
provider and employer.
Revised August 2006
Egg Products and Food Safety
FSIS encourages the reprint and distribution of this publication for food safety
education purposes. However, USDA symbols or logos may not be used
separately to imply endorsement of a commercial product or service.
Eggs are 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:
·The common or usual name and (if the product is comprised of
two or more ingredients) the ingredients listed in the order of
descending proportions;
·The name and address of the packer or distributor;
·The date of pack which may be shown as a lot number or
production code number;
·The net contents;
·The official USDA inspection mark and establishment number.
Nutrition of Egg Products
Labels on Egg Products
Ask Karen!
FSIS’ automated response
system can provide food safety
information 24/7.
www.fsis.usda.gov
Call the USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline
If you have a question
about meat, poultry, or
egg products, call the
USDA Meat and
Poultry Hotline
toll free at
1-888-MPHotline
(1-888-674-6854);
TTY: 1-800-256-7072.
The hotline is open year-round
Monday through Friday
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
ET (English or
Spanish). Recorded
food safety messages
are available 24 hours
a day. Check out the
FSIS Web site at
www.fsis.usda.gov.
Send E-mail questions to MPHotline.fsis@usda.gov.
