Nabisco, Inc.

Alexander S Cascione

Harold Rapp

Lisa Chedid

Jean M Michaels

James A Blandine

Clyde D Watson

Janice L Bryson

Thomas J Van Dixhorn

The invention enables processing eggs, especially low-cholesterol egg products based principally on egg whites, at high temperatures to provide liquid, pasteurized egg products which exhibit improved stability during refrigerated storage. Liquid egg composition is heated to a temperature (e.g. 60.degree. to 75.degree. C.) and for a time effective to reduce the population of viable organisms with some coagulation of the conalbumin, but without significantly coagulating the ovalbumin. A dispersion of coagulated conalbumin in a liquid matrix is homogenized (average particle size is preferably less than 2 microns) to form a smooth-textured, liquid egg composition. The resulting liquid egg compositions have unique textural and visual characteristics.

Egg pasteurization

Cut, cooked peppers, substantially free of core portions, are prepared. Cooked peppers are distributed to form an essentially single layer on a suitable support such as a conveyor. They are cut both parallel to and transversely to the direction of movement of the support. The support, holding pieces of flesh and core, is moved relative to a plurality of pins to impale both. The pins are preferentially withdrawn from the pieces of flesh and remain impaled within the cores, thereby separating one from the other. In its more comprehensive aspects, the process includes the further steps of: roasting the peppers whole, including core, stem and calyx, to provide roasted peppers; and washing and tumbling the peppers after roasting to separate skins therefrom. Desirably, the pieces of flesh are acidified, diced and packaged, after separation of the cores.

Pepper coring process and apparatus

Egg products, particularly low cholesterol products, are pasteurized by contact with hydrogen peroxide at elevated temperature. The pasteurized egg is then contacted with catalase to convert the peroxide to water and diatomic oxygen, and the oxygen is then removed, preferably by in-line vacuum. The process enables the pasteurization of liquid eggs, particularly those based principally on egg whites, sufficiently to provide a storage-stable refrigerated liquid egg product.

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Lake Hiawatha, NJ, United States of America

Alexander S Cascione