Liquid Egg White Pasteurization via Ohmic Heating and CO2 Deaeration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing liquid egg white are insufficient in ensuring microbiological sterility and maintaining functional properties, as they fail to effectively eliminate pathogenic bacteria like Salmonella Enteritidis, leading to product recalls and impaired product characteristics.
Innovation Solution
A process involving immediate cooling, thermal pasteurization at 54-57 °C for 2.5-3 minutes, deaeration using a vacuum system, and carbon dioxide addition to achieve microbiological sterility and exceptional functional properties, while utilizing an ohmic heater for efficient temperature increase and maintaining the natural characteristics of egg white proteins.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If slow temperature increase treatment at 40-48°C for several days is applied, then natural protein characteristics are preserved, but microbiological sterility is insufficient and pathogenic bacteria survive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies ohmic heating to rapidly increase the temperature to 54-57°C, achieving effective pasteurization within 2.5-3 minutes. This parameter change in heating rate and temperature level resolves the contradiction by providing sufficient thermal treatment for sterilization while maintaining short treatment duration to preserve protein functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces conventional slow thermal diffusion heating with ohmic heating (electrical heating directly in the liquid). This substitution enables rapid, uniform temperature increase throughout the egg white, achieving sterilization effectiveness without the prolonged treatment time that would damage functional properties.
2Reliability
If thermal pasteurization at 54-57°C for 2.5-3 min is applied, then microbiological sterility is achieved, but dissolved air remains available for aerobic bacteria growth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies vacuum deaeration to extract and remove dissolved air from the pasteurized egg white. This extraction of harmful dissolved oxygen prevents aerobic bacteria growth, resolving the contradiction by eliminating the oxygen supply that would otherwise support bacterial proliferation after pasteurization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates an inert atmosphere by removing oxygen through vacuum deaeration and subsequently filling the headspace with carbon dioxide. This inert environment prevents aerobic bacteria growth while maintaining product safety, resolving the contradiction between achieving sterility and preventing recontamination.
3Reliability
If long treatment time is applied, then bacterial elimination is improved, but functional properties and whipping characteristics are impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses ohmic heating to rapidly rush through the pasteurization temperature range, achieving effective bacterial elimination in just 2.5-3 minutes at 54-57°C. This rapid heating approach resolves the contradiction by providing sufficient thermal treatment for sterilization while minimizing exposure time that would damage functional properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the heating parameter from slow thermal diffusion to rapid ohmic heating, enabling temperature increase at a rate that achieves sterilization effectiveness within 2.5-3 minutes. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by providing adequate bacterial elimination while preserving whipping characteristics and foam stability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The process achieves 99.99% bacterial decontamination, preserves the functional properties of egg white, and extends shelf-life by creating an environment unfavorable for aerobic bacteria growth, ensuring the product's safety and stability.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing an ohmic heater for efficient temperature increase
Implementation Method 2
deaeration using a vacuum system
Implementation Method 3
carbon dioxide addition to achieve microbiological sterility and exceptional functional properties
Implementation Method 4
thermal pasteurization at 54-57 °C for 2.5-3 minutes
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
Process for treatment of white liquid egg from chicken eggs or similar, comprising the steps of shelling said eggs so as to get a specific quantity of white liquid egg; filtering and immediately cooling said white liquid egg at a temperature in a range determined keeping the said liquid inside a closed and agitated tank; heat treating by pasteurization said white liquid egg within a determined time interval by said shelling step with deaeration of said liquid and with addition of carbon dioxide; and performing a biochemical treatment of said white liquid egg in conditions of controlled temperature within a sterile tank with subsequent final storage at room temperature.