Application of microfiltration to egg white depleted in ovomucin

An attempt was made to reduce the microbial load of unpasteurized fresh egg white by using cross-flow microfiltration and a Tetra-Laval bactocatch ins tallation. Cross-flow tangential microfiltration of liquid fresh egg white was not feasible as there was irreversible membrane clogging within a few m inutes of operation. As membrane clogging could have been caused by ovomuci n, this protein was removed from whole fresh egg white by increasing the sa lt strength and lowering the pH. Ovomucin-depleted egg white (ODEW) was suc cessfully microfiltered on the same membrane. Compared to fresh egg white, ODEW had lower foaming and viscous properties, and these properties remaine d unchanged after bactofiltration. The reduction of microbial load was, how ever, relatively low.