Egg White Nutrition Articles & Resources

Manufacturers are choosing between liquid and dried eggs based on their facilities, formulations, and handling equipment, explains Merkle. Pasteurized liquid is much easier to handle, but requires refrigerated storage. Shorter shelf life requires greater management of inventory. There is also a greater cost for shipping liquid. Dried eggs are increasing in popularity because they are shelf-stable and have a typical one-year shelf life. "Some manufacturers want the functional and nutritional benefits of the egg but their formulation can not handle additional water from liquid egg," he adds.

According to suppliers, the biggest egg product users are baking manufacturers, followed by producers of sauces and dressings, the pasta industry, and the dry mix industry. One area of egg use that has greatly increased in recent years has been fast foods. Such breakfast items as the Egg McMuffin have had a tremendous impact on the egg products industry.

Liquid, refrigerated, frozen, and dried eggs are available in a wide range of forms for food processing. Some egg products have added carbohydrates, gums, starches, sugar and salt in order to meet manufacturers' specifications and to improve functionality and physical characteristics. Liquid eggs have become especially convenient for the fast food industry. Dried egg white is convenient in angel cake mixes and used by the confectionery industry. Salted yolk is used frequently in mayonnaise production.

Egg Functionality

Eggs are a multifunctional ingredient and as such are difficult to replace in a formulation. The typical functions of egg in food products are foaming, emulsification, coagulation, and nutrition. Eggs also retard crystallization in confections and may be used secondarily to contribute color and flavor.

Egg foaming is crucial in angel cakes and other bakery products. Gelation is needed in products such as surimi, meat products, and custards. Yolk and whole egg provide emulsification properties in mayonnaise and sauces. Food processors sometimes look at egg replacers-primarily to reduce costs-hut generally eggs offer superior functionality at a reasonable price.

"Some dairy or soy protein ingredients can partially replace egg white, but only the egg albumen itself embodies all the egg white characteristics, while being fat-free, sugar-free, and cholesterol-free," says Bob Tang, director of product development at International Multifoods.

Egg Nutrition

In the past, eggs have had a bad reputation in terms of cholesterol, but recent studies show that dietary cholesterol does not necessarily relate to blood cholesterol. Many studies suggest that an egg or two daily may be acceptable for those with healthy blood cholesterol levels. Even in those individuals with elevated cholesterol levels, there was no association between egg consumption and an increased risk of heart disease shown in a subset analysis of a recent Harvard study of 117,000 people.

"However, people are still confused about dietary vs. blood cholesterol. After hearing for 30 years that eggs may increase serum cholesterol levels, it will take more than a couple of studies to convince them otherwise," states Dr. Donald McNamara, executive director of the Egg Nutrition Center. This confusion is not only a problem for the egg industry, but for public health officials as well. People are not paying enough attention to saturated fat consumption, number of calories in the diet, and exercise.

Eggs are known to be a good source of high quality protein, as well as a variety of vitamins and minerals. But the positive benefits of eggs actually go beyond that. For example, eggs are a great source of dietary lutein, thought to prevent age related macular disease. Eggs also provide choline--recently named an essential nutrient important in fetal development. Several companies are now producing specialty eggs and egg products with enhanced omega 3 fatty acids, and even increased amounts of vitamin E (see "Enhanced Eggs" sidebar).

Eggs and Food Safety

"About % of all shell eggs may be contaminated with Salmonella, and thus should be well cooked. However, all egg products used in processed foods are pasteurized and required to be Salmonella-free," states Glenn W.

Froning, ., food science and technology advisor at the American Egg Board. "Some firms are now marketing pasteurized shell eggs. Also, shell eggs are now required to be held at 45[degrees]F in market channels. Furthermore, improved handling controls from the producer on through to the consumer are being implemented to reduce Salmonella incidence."

Another consideration is that eggs are one of the top eight food allergens, which are of heightened concern to food manufacturers. Many food packages now highlight allergens on ingredient statements, and take precautions to see that allergenic ingredients do not come into contact with non-allergen containing product.

"Within 30 years the reputation of eggs is going from poison pellets to vitamin pills," adds McNamara. With continued edification, manufacturers and consumers alike will be able to utilize eggs to their ultimate benefits.

Enhanced Eggs

Hens fed a patented proprietary all-vegetarian feed produce nutritionally enhanced eggs, now available in grocery stores. The feed contains grains, soy protein, canola oil, rice bran, alfalfa meal, kelp, and a high level of vitamin E. It has no animal fat, no animal byproducts, and no recycled or processed food. Canola oil is the principal source of omega 3's, with smaller contributions from the grains, soy and kelp.

Eggs produced by chickens eating this feed contain 190 mg of cholesterol compared to 215 mg in an ordinary egg; grams of fat compared to grams in an ordinary egg; 25 percent less saturated fat; and an omega 3 fatty acid level which is three times the amount in an ordinary egg. They also contain at least seven times more vitamin E than ordinary eggs, and 40% of the daily iodine requirement, compared with 15% in an ordinary egg.

"The increased omega 3, vitamin E and other nutrient content in these eggs places them into the growing functional foods category," states Dr. Bart T. Slaugh, director of quality assurance at a company marketing and distributing specialty eggs. The company also sells egg entree kits containing ingredients to make omelets, egg sandwiches, egg salads, and eggs benedict, and is available in test markets in Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York and Connecticut.