3 replies to this topic

[BlueWinter]

Is there a food safety risk in pasteurized liquid eggs if not frozen within a certain time? Risk of toxin growth that is not killed by pasteurization?  Pasteurization is a proven lethality to control Salmonella spp and Listeria, are there other organisms that should be included/considered as a potential food safety hazard? 

[Scampi]

Aseptic fill?  Hot fill and HOLD??

 

Once pasteurized in a CLOSED loop your negligible for risk

 

Answer depends on the entire process post pasteurization 

[BlueWinter]

Thank you.  I agree the risk to a closed system is very low (perhaps negligible).  I asked the question due to concerns shared from regulatory pertaining to temperature post pasteurization.  To the best of my knowledge, pasteurized liquid egg has several weeks of shelf life once refrigerated (33-40 degrees F). Regulatory has concerns with freezing of this product within a certain period of time.  This concern appears to be due to the label (of certain products) rather than food safety and seeking to confirm as I have not been able to find scientific justification to support a food safety risk or regulatory concern (other than if the label says the product is frozen, it should be solidly frozen).  Discussion with regulatory on certain organisms that are not killed during pasteurization and multiply faster when product is not frozen.  Once again, I have not found any science to support this concern and seeking to confirm if this can occur (has it occurred?). 

[Scampi]

Well CFIA does not have a time limit (that I could find) and only speaks to chilling to 4C or less

https://inspection.c...5871209791#a4.0 Safe Food for Canadians Regulations: Section 103 Rationale

Chilling processed eggs products to 4°C or less is crucial in minimizing the chance for bacterial growth and decreases the risk of injury to human health.

What this means for your food business

To help you understand these requirements, specific criteria are outlined below. In addition, key terms throughout the text have been hyperlinked to the SFCR glossary.

Section 103: Temperature

• The following processed egg products that are further processed or treated in an establishment that is identified in a licence and that are to be sent or conveyed from one province to another or that are to be exported must have been chilled to 4°C or less before they leave the establishment:
  • liquid whole egg
  • liquid yolk
  • liquid egg white or liquid albumen
  • liquid whole egg mix
  • liquid yolk mix
  • liquid egg product
• The Canadian Food Inspection Agency may authorize you, in writing, to remove a processed egg product from the establishment without it being chilled to 4°C or less if they are of the opinion that there is no risk to human health.

USDA also says the following

https://www.fsis.usd...and-food-safety

 

Buying Tips for Egg Products

Buy only pasteurized egg products that bear the USDA inspection mark. Make sure containers are tightly sealed. Frozen products should show no signs of thawing. Refrigerated products should be kept at 40 °F or below. Dried egg products should not be caked or hardened.

 

and this makes no mention of time/temp for chilling/freezing

https://www.fsis.usd...IS-GD-2020-0005.

so without knowing where you are cannot help further

 

Listeria would be the #1 concern post pasteurization and has occurred, but almost always a processing failure (ie. leaking pipe in a closed loop)