PULSED ELECTRIC FIELD TREATMENT OF LIQUID WHOLE EGG INOCULATED WITH <i>SALMONELLA</i> ENTERITIDIS

Abstract

ABSTRACT The effects of pulsed electric fields (PEF) on the inactivation of Salmonella Enteritidis inoculated into liquid whole egg (LWE) and on the physical properties and the shelf‐life of LWE were studied. PEF processing conditions were 1.2 mL/s flow rate, 200 pps frequency, 2.12 μs pulse duration, 25 kV/cm electric field strength, and 250 μs total treatment time. The PEF processing caused up to 1 log 10 cfu/mL reduction in S. Enteritidis population in LWE. The PEF‐treated samples were subjected to heat at 55C for 3.5 min to inactivate the remaining bacteria without denaturing the LWE. The combination of PEF and heat treatments led to a 4.3 log 10 cfu/mL reduction in S. Enteritidis population (P &lt; 0.05 ) and caused no significant change in viscosity, electrical conductivity, color, pH, and Brix, relative to control samples (P &gt; 0.05 ). The PEF + 55C treated LWE samples presented significantly longer shelf‐life at 4C compared with the control and heat treated samples (P &lt; 0.05 ).