High pressure treatment of liquid whole egg and advantages of low temperature application

High hydrostatic pressure in combination with controlled temperature could be an alternative process for prolonging the shelf life of liquid whole egg (LWE). As a first step of process optimisation, the equivalent lines of pr essure-induced coagulation are provided at three different temperatures (5 degreesC, 25 degreesC and 45 degreesC). The excess work of structure breakd own (DeltaW) was calculated from rheological measurements and used as a par ameter for the degree of coagulation. Below the line of DeltaW = 5.0 kJ/m(3 ), the rheological properties of processed LWE were comparable to those of fresh LWE, considered as a critical value. Pressure treatment at higher tem perature caused increased coagulation and allowed only a limited possibilit y of performing high pressure treatment. Furthermore, the inactivation kine tics of E. coli in LWE showed that temperature optima for inactivation coul d also be found in the low temperature region.