The Truth About Egg Products Revealed |
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If someone asked you to describe an egg, you would describe
it as, “an oval shaped object that contains a white
or brown shell, yolk, egg white (albumen) and tons of nutrients”.
However, if they were also asked you to talk about what an
egg product was, you would probably scratch your head and
say, “Ummm, I dunnnnooo.” Well, after reading
this article, you’ll have a better idea of what egg
products are and how you can best protect you and your family
from contaminants that have been linked to them.
Before we begin, let’s define egg product. An egg product
refers to eggs that have been removed from their shells for
ease of handling, storage and convenience. Just like eggs,
they contain yolks, egg whites, nutrients, etc. but they also
undergo pasteurizing processes to help prevent bacteria from
developing and to help them last longer. These egg products
are widely used by hospitals, nursing homes, restaurants,
and individuals and are typically used in baking or cooking.
To make egg products, you don’t have a ton of factory
workers sitting around cracking egg and adding chemicals to
them. Instead they are processed under USDA regulated conditions
and automated equipment moves the eggs from flats, washes
and sanitizes the shells, breaks the eggs, separates the whites
and yolks and makes a mixture that is then filtered, mixed
and chilled. If the egg products are to be utilized for human
consumption, they undergo another process in which they are
rapidly heated and held at a required temperature which destroys
bacteria, like salmonella, but doesn’t cook the eggs
or affect their color, flavor, or value. Some examples of
pasteurized egg products would be imitation egg products (like
Egg Beaters).
Therefore, if you’re considering utilizing egg products
there are certain things that you should do:
• Buy only pasteurized egg products that have been USDA
inspected (specifically FSIS).
• Always refrigerator products and keep them at least
40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower.
• You can store frozen egg products for up to a year
at 0 degrees Fahrenheit but it cannot be refrozen after thawed.
• If you choose to thaw it out, you should do so under
cold water.
• Carefully watch those expiration dates and don’t
use egg products after the posted date. In addition, always
follow manufacturer recommendations for storage and usage
to ensure optimal freshness and quality.
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