Reducing Risk of Salmonellosis through Egg Decontamination Processes

Thilini Piushani Keerthirathne, Kirstin Ross, Howard Fallowfield and Harriet Whiley
Additional contact information
Thilini Piushani Keerthirathne: School of the Environment, Health and the Environment, Flinders University, GPO BOX 2100, Adelaide 5001, Australia
Kirstin Ross: School of the Environment, Health and the Environment, Flinders University, GPO BOX 2100, Adelaide 5001, Australia
Howard Fallowfield: School of the Environment, Health and the Environment, Flinders University, GPO BOX 2100, Adelaide 5001, Australia
Harriet Whiley: School of the Environment, Health and the Environment, Flinders University, GPO BOX 2100, Adelaide 5001, Australia

IJERPH, 2017, vol. 14, issue 3, 1-10

Abstract: Eggs have a high nutritional value and are an important ingredient in many food products. Worldwide foodborne illnesses, such as salmonellosis linked to the consumption of eggs and raw egg products, are a major public health concern. This review focuses on previous studies that have investigated the procedures for the production of microbiologically safe eggs. Studies exploring pasteurization and decontamination methods were investigated. Gamma irradiation, freeze drying, hot air, hot water, infra-red, atmospheric steam, microwave heating and radiofrequency heating are all different decontamination methods currently considered for the production of microbiologically safe eggs. However, each decontamination procedure has different effects on the properties and constituents of the egg. The pasteurization processes are the most widely used and best understood; however, they influence the coagulation, foaming and emulsifying properties of the egg. Future studies are needed to explore combinations of different decontamination methods to produce safe eggs without impacting the protein structure and usability. Currently, eggs which have undergone decontamination processes are primarily used in food prepared for vulnerable populations. However, the development of a decontamination method that does not affect egg properties and functionality could be used in food prepared for the general population to provide greater public health protection.

Keywords: public health; foodborne illness; salmonellosis; pasteurization; decontamination; egg properties (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/14/3/335/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/14/3/335/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:14:y:2017:i:3:p:335-:d:93763

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().