The effects of novel pasteurization technologies on egg product functionalities

Egg products are protein ingredients with multiple functional properties such as gelling, foaming, binding adhesion and emulsification. Because of such properties, these ingredients are desirable in many foods, such as bakery products, meringues, meat products and cookies. Pasteurization of liquid egg products is commercially performed in conventional high-temperature-short-time equipments, that can negatively affect product functionalities. The recent development of alternative processing technologies, such as high hydrostatic pressure, ultraviolet radiation, pulsed electric fields, high pressure homogenization, microwave-assisted pasteurization, and ohmic heating, offers the potential to inactivate microorganisms, reduce loss of essential nutrients, and maintain functional properties. The aim of this review is the discussion of results reported in the literature about the effects of these novel pasteurization technologies on egg product functionalities. Moreover, preliminary results of an ongoing research aiming at the study of the ohmic heating effects on gelling and whipping properties of liquid whole egg will be illustrated.