Executive Summary

Scientists at The Ohio State University have successfully treated whole shell eggs to make them safe without partially cooking them. This innovative, patented technology is much superior to current thermal treatments, such as the Davidson® process, that results in a partly cooked egg that has low consumer acceptance. The highly promising Ohio State process has the support of three small egg producers in Ohio who have created a new joint venture called EggTech Ltd. to expedite commercialization of the technology. A team of OSU scientists and the EggTech partners are developing a commercial scale process for deployment to an established national market. The market demand is very promising for wholesome fresh safe shell eggs that are proven free of pathogenic microorganisms.

The support of FSIS will help the small egg producer industry in Ohio and throughout the nation demonstrate how this new technology complies with Federal inspection requirements. The support will help establish the process and machine requirements for consistent production of a Salmonella-free whole shell egg. A deliverable outcome that may potentially revolutionize the egg industry is a manufacturing procedure for safe whole eggs.

Salmonella Enteritidis is a foodborne pathogen with great economic impact on the egg industry. Salmonella infections are not only on the surface of the egg, but may also be carried within, on the yolk or in the albumen. Internal contamination is extremely difficult to eliminate. Current methods to eliminate internal Salmonella contamination in shell eggs are deleterious to egg quality.

Research at Ohio State demonstrates that sequential application of heat and ozone inactivates > 5 log of Salmonella population in shell eggs, without damaging egg quality. This was achieved with bench scale equipment and resulted in two U.S. patents. The objective of this cooperative agreement is to validate the egg decontamination process on newly constructed pilot scale equipment and create a commercial scale design that can be used by the egg industry. Construction of an egg sanitization pilot plant size machine has just been completed. It is supported by a consortium of small Ohio egg producers. The proposed research includes innoculating eggs with Salmonella Enteritidis (10^6-7 CFU/g egg) and sequentially treating in the pilot machinery with varying heat, time, vacuum, gaseous ozone pressure and cooling to find the optimum conditions for eradication of Salmonella in eggs.

Marketing studies and equipment optimization research is now underway, supported by Ohio experiment station and private industry investments. FSIS support will expedite development of industry standards, help satisfy consumer demand for safe whole shell eggs, and contribute to a substantial, measurable reduction in foodborne illness.

Last modified: 06/03/07