USING RESPONSE-SURFACE ANALYSIS TO OPTIMIZE THE QUALITY OF ULTRAPASTEURIZED LIQUID WHOLE EGG

Response surface analysis (RSA) is used to show the effects of a range of heat pasteurization times and temperature combinations on several quality factors of Liquid egg. The purpose of this paper is not to sug gest the rigid processing time and temperature combinations to give ma ximum quality but to illustrate that RSA can be used as a tool to pred ict individual and multiple egg functional properties resulting from v arious processing conditions. The application of heat will change the quality and functional properties of the liquid egg. This paper descri bes the application of RSA to the changes in soluble protein, alpha-am ylase, solids content, viscosity, and the height of cakes made with pr ocessed liquid whole egg (LWE). The Mallow's C-p statistic is used to determine the best model while minimizing the number of terms in the m odel. By using this method of choosing the model, the number of terms desired in the model tan be first determined then the best fit can be determined from the possible models. The time and temperature combinat ions are in the ultra-high temperature range for eggs (30, 60, and 95 s each at 64, 68, and 72 C). The RSA may be used to optimize the quali ty and functionality of LWE while ensuring the safety of the product. This information can be used (with further testing) to maximize desira ble and minimize undesirable product properties.