CA1172900A - Process for the production of a frozen chopped egg product - Google Patents
Process for the production of a frozen chopped egg productInfo
- Publication number
- CA1172900A CA1172900A CA000382077A CA382077A CA1172900A CA 1172900 A CA1172900 A CA 1172900A CA 000382077 A CA000382077 A CA 000382077A CA 382077 A CA382077 A CA 382077A CA 1172900 A CA1172900 A CA 1172900A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- whites
- yolks
- egg
- frozen
- chopped
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 31
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 title abstract description 6
- 210000002969 egg yolk Anatomy 0.000 claims abstract description 105
- 235000013601 eggs Nutrition 0.000 claims abstract description 47
- 235000014103 egg white Nutrition 0.000 claims abstract description 27
- 210000000969 egg white Anatomy 0.000 claims abstract description 27
- 230000008014 freezing Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 16
- 238000007710 freezing Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 16
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 14
- 235000013345 egg yolk Nutrition 0.000 claims abstract description 11
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 9
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 22
- 238000010257 thawing Methods 0.000 claims description 8
- 239000011230 binding agent Substances 0.000 claims 6
- 239000000047 product Substances 0.000 claims 5
- 239000002245 particle Substances 0.000 abstract description 12
- 235000013409 condiments Nutrition 0.000 abstract description 6
- 102000002322 Egg Proteins Human genes 0.000 description 16
- 108010000912 Egg Proteins Proteins 0.000 description 16
- QCVGEOXPDFCNHA-UHFFFAOYSA-N 5,5-dimethyl-2,4-dioxo-1,3-oxazolidine-3-carboxamide Chemical compound CC1(C)OC(=O)N(C(N)=O)C1=O QCVGEOXPDFCNHA-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 12
- 238000010411 cooking Methods 0.000 description 7
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 7
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 description 6
- 240000008415 Lactuca sativa Species 0.000 description 5
- 238000002845 discoloration Methods 0.000 description 5
- 235000013305 food Nutrition 0.000 description 5
- 235000012045 salad Nutrition 0.000 description 5
- 229920002472 Starch Polymers 0.000 description 4
- 239000004615 ingredient Substances 0.000 description 4
- 235000019698 starch Nutrition 0.000 description 4
- 238000005520 cutting process Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000009975 flexible effect Effects 0.000 description 3
- 239000000654 additive Substances 0.000 description 2
- 235000014633 carbohydrates Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- 150000001720 carbohydrates Chemical class 0.000 description 2
- 229920002457 flexible plastic Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 235000013312 flour Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- 150000004676 glycans Chemical class 0.000 description 2
- 230000006872 improvement Effects 0.000 description 2
- 229920001282 polysaccharide Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 239000005017 polysaccharide Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229920001592 potato starch Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 238000002360 preparation method Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000008107 starch Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000010792 warming Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000004278 EU approved seasoning Substances 0.000 description 1
- -1 Golloids Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 240000003183 Manihot esculenta Species 0.000 description 1
- 235000016735 Manihot esculenta subsp esculenta Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 229920000881 Modified starch Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 240000007594 Oryza sativa Species 0.000 description 1
- 235000007164 Oryza sativa Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 206010041662 Splinter Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 240000008042 Zea mays Species 0.000 description 1
- 235000005824 Zea mays ssp. parviglumis Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 235000002017 Zea mays subsp mays Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 230000000996 additive effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229920000615 alginic acid Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 235000010443 alginic acid Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 229920001525 carrageenan Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 235000010418 carrageenan Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 235000013339 cereals Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 239000000084 colloidal system Substances 0.000 description 1
- 235000005822 corn Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 238000007598 dipping method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 235000011194 food seasoning agent Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 239000012634 fragment Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000007654 immersion Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000001788 irregular Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000007800 oxidant agent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000004806 packaging method and process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 235000011837 pasties Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 230000002797 proteolythic effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 235000009566 rice Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 235000013580 sausages Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 235000013599 spices Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 239000007921 spray Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000005507 spraying Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000003860 storage Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229920001285 xanthan gum Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 235000010493 xanthan gum Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 229940082509 xanthan gum Drugs 0.000 description 1
- 239000000230 xanthan gum Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
- A23B—PRESERVING, e.g. BY CANNING, MEAT, FISH, EGGS, FRUIT, VEGETABLES, EDIBLE SEEDS; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES; THE PRESERVED, RIPENED, OR CANNED PRODUCTS
- A23B5/00—Preservation of eggs or egg products
- A23B5/04—Freezing; Subsequent thawing; Cooling
- A23B5/041—Freezing or cooling without shell
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
- A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
- A23L15/00—Egg products; Preparation or treatment thereof
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
- A23V—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND LACTIC OR PROPIONIC ACID BACTERIA USED IN FOODSTUFFS OR FOOD PREPARATION
- A23V2002/00—Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
Landscapes
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Food Science & Technology (AREA)
- Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Nutrition Science (AREA)
- Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
- Zoology (AREA)
- Meat, Egg Or Seafood Products (AREA)
Abstract
A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF
A FROZEN CHOPPED EGG PRODUCT
Abstract of the Disclosure A cooked and frozen chopped egg product is dis-closed which is suitable as a condiment for foodstuffs.
The chopped egg product is produced by a process comprising;
separately heating egg yolks and whites at 165 - 210°F. for a period of time effective to coagulate the yolks and whites to a firm texture followed by freezing of the coagulated yolks and whites. The frozen whites and yolks are chopped at a temperature of about 22 - 30°F. to provide a chopped mixture having desirable color and texture without signi-ficant smearing of the yolks on the particles of egg whites.
A FROZEN CHOPPED EGG PRODUCT
Abstract of the Disclosure A cooked and frozen chopped egg product is dis-closed which is suitable as a condiment for foodstuffs.
The chopped egg product is produced by a process comprising;
separately heating egg yolks and whites at 165 - 210°F. for a period of time effective to coagulate the yolks and whites to a firm texture followed by freezing of the coagulated yolks and whites. The frozen whites and yolks are chopped at a temperature of about 22 - 30°F. to provide a chopped mixture having desirable color and texture without signi-ficant smearing of the yolks on the particles of egg whites.
Description
( SP-750 1 ~7 2900 Background of the Invention The present invention relates to a chopped egg product and a process for producing the same.
Various types of egg products have been produced for consumer use. Raw egg products have been prepared and frozen in order that they may be subsequently thawed and used in the same manner as fresh eggs. More recently, cooked egg products have been produced which are suitable for freezing with subsequent thawing and use. These cooked L~ -egg products are very desirable b~cause of the con-venience . ,.
of simply thawing the product to permit use by the consumer.
These products and processes for their production are generally described in the following U.S. Patents.
U.S. Patent 3,510,315 describes a cooked egg product in which the yolks are separately cooked in a mold and placed in a larger mold in which the uncooked egg whites are placed and cooked surrounding the yolk. The mixture is frozen and a starch material is included in the whites to provide good freeze-thaw stability. A frozen product with an egg yolk core surrounded by cooked egg white is obtained which can easily be thawed and used by the consumer.
Impro~ements on the above process for the production of cooked frozen egg products are described in U.S. Patent 3,598,612 in which treatment of the yolk with an oxidizing agent prevents discoloration of the interface area between the yolk and white. U.S. Patent 3,598,613 describes a process in which the yolks are heated to a semi-solid state, ground and then heated to form a solid yolk product. U.S. Patents 3,798,336 and 3,711,304 describe processes and apparatus for centering of the yolk body in the egg whites before or during
Various types of egg products have been produced for consumer use. Raw egg products have been prepared and frozen in order that they may be subsequently thawed and used in the same manner as fresh eggs. More recently, cooked egg products have been produced which are suitable for freezing with subsequent thawing and use. These cooked L~ -egg products are very desirable b~cause of the con-venience . ,.
of simply thawing the product to permit use by the consumer.
These products and processes for their production are generally described in the following U.S. Patents.
U.S. Patent 3,510,315 describes a cooked egg product in which the yolks are separately cooked in a mold and placed in a larger mold in which the uncooked egg whites are placed and cooked surrounding the yolk. The mixture is frozen and a starch material is included in the whites to provide good freeze-thaw stability. A frozen product with an egg yolk core surrounded by cooked egg white is obtained which can easily be thawed and used by the consumer.
Impro~ements on the above process for the production of cooked frozen egg products are described in U.S. Patent 3,598,612 in which treatment of the yolk with an oxidizing agent prevents discoloration of the interface area between the yolk and white. U.S. Patent 3,598,613 describes a process in which the yolks are heated to a semi-solid state, ground and then heated to form a solid yolk product. U.S. Patents 3,798,336 and 3,711,304 describe processes and apparatus for centering of the yolk body in the egg whites before or during
- 2 ~
( SP-750 i 172900 cooking to form a core of egg yolk concentrically surrounded by the cooked whites. These products can be conveniently thawed and sliced and easily used by the consumer without the cooking and peeling of shell eggs. - -The above types of cooked, frozen egg productshave been extensively used by restaurants because of the ease of preparation. A recent addition to restaurants and institutions engaged in mass feeding in this country, has been the salad bar in which the customer can prepare .0 -his own salad with ingredients of his own choosing. A
popular ingredient at these salad bars is chopped or diced eggs which can be sprinkled on the salad by the customer.
Obviously, the cooking and chopping of eggs requires an extensive amount of preparation, in addition to the fact that chopping usually smears the yolk over the egg white particles resulting in a pasty mess the consumer does not readily associate with chopped eggs. In addition, when whole eggs are cooked, they also suffer from problems with green discoloration of the yolk surface which is visible in a chopped egg product since the particles are exposed by virtue of being chopped or diced.
While the cooked, frozen egg products described above avoid many of the discoloration problems associated with whole eggs, nevertheless, these products also present a poor appearance if they were simply thawed and chopped or diced since the yolk readily smears onto the whites.
A need, therefore, exists for a chopped, frozen egg product without significant smearing of the yolks on the whites, which has a smooth texture, and may be readily thawed and used by the cons~mer as an ingredient in or as a condiment for foods.
~ - ( SP-750 ~ 17290Q
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a cooked and frozen chopped egg product which avoids significant smearing of the yolk on the chopped egg white particles. - -It is also an object to provide a cooked andfrozen chopped egg product in which the yolk is a bright yellow with an absence of discoloration.
It is also an object to provide a cooked and frozen chopped egg product which has good freeze thaw 1~ -stability without significant deterioriation of the yolk and white during storage.
It is also an object to provide a cooked and frozen chopped eg~ product which has a smooth but firm texture without significant sticking or clumping of the particles of yolks and whites.
It is a further object to pro~ide a unique process for the production of a cooked and frozen chopped egg product which meets the above objectives which is reliable and convenient to practice.
SummarY of the Invention These and other objects are achieved in the present invention which provides a unique process for the production of a cooked and frozen chopped egg product.
The present process comprises separate heating of egg yolks and whites to an internal temperature of between about 165 - 210F. for a period of time sufficient to coagulate or effectively cook the yolks and the whites. The separately cooked yolks and whites are then frozen. A chopped egg mixture is formed by simultaneously or sequentially chopping the frozen whites at a critical temperature range of between about 22 - 30F. to provide a chopped egg mixture in which minimal smearing of the yolk on the whites occurs during ~ - SP-750 ~7~900 chopping and the mixture has a smooth but firm texture. The chopped mixture can then be refrozen and sold in this fashion for use by restaurants or institutions as a food condiment. The prcduct represents a distinct improvement over cooked chopped whole eggs in appearance and texture as well as convenience to the user of the product.
A significant factor in the above process which provides the chopped egg product with such desirable appearance and texture is the temperature range at which the 10. simultaneous or sequential chopping of the cooked yolk and white`is carried out. For example, if the temperature of the cooked egg during chopping is above this temperature range, extensive smearing of the yolk and the white occurs resulting in a product with an undesirable appearance. By contrast, at a temperature below this range, the yolk and the white tend to shatter or splinter resulting in an excessive amount of fines whi~h will also detract from the appearance of the mixture.
The separate cooking of the yolks and whites together with chopping at the above temperature results in a frozen diced or chopped egg product that has a desirable color, texture and appearance that can be thawed and used by the consumer.
~escription of the Preferred Embodiment In accordance with the present invention, pasteurized liquid egg yolks and whites are obtained and placed into separate containers for heating. It is not critical to the presen~ inven~ion that the yolks or whites include additional ingredients although various flavorings, spices, and or seasonings can be included if desired. It is extremely desirable, however, to include a water binding material in the egg whites since the product will be frozen and the addition , ( SP-750 :l 172900 of the water binding material prevents syneresis during subsequent freezing and thawing of the product. The water binding materials which may be employed in the present invention include polysaccharides or carbohydrates such as Golloids, starches, cereals or flours capable of absorbing and binding water. Examples of suitable materials include corn, tapioca, rice and potato starches, flours and the like. Polysaccharides such as algins, carrageenans, xanthan gum or various other colloids are also suitable as water binding materials.
Carbohydrates which are particularly preferred are.food . .
starches which have good freeze-thaw stability or possess the ability to retain water in the egg white portion after the product has been frozen and subsequently thawed. The water binding materials should be present in the egg white portion in an amount effective to prevent syneresis upon freezing and thawing, typically at levels between about 0.5 and 10% by weight of the egg whites. A preferred level is between about 2 and 4~ by weight of the egg whites.
It is also possible, although not critical, to include proteolytic enzy~es or other additives in the egg yolk portion as described in U.S. Patent 3,510,315, although such an additive can be omitted entirely.
The yolks and whites are placed in separate containers and heated. Although the exact type of apparatus or equipment used in the present process is not critical relative to practice of the present invention, a preferred container for heating is to place the yolks and whites in flexible containers or bags for immersion in the cocking baths.
This permits easy transfer of the yolks and whites through the heating and freezing steps, followed by easy removal of the frozen yolks and whites from the containers prior to chopping.
~ SP-750 i 1729`~0 Heating of the yolXs and whites is carried out in a hot water or steam bath at a temperature of between about 165 - 210F., preferably 170 - 185F. for a period of time sufficient to coagulate or effectively cook the egg yolks and whites-to a substantially firm texture and depending on the size of the container,typically about 30 - 60 minutes.
The heated or cooked yolks and whites are then removed from the cooking bath and cooled to facilitate rapid freezing either by spraying with cool water or dipping the .containers into a cool water bath. The heated whites and yolks are then frozen as quickly as possible to a product temperature of about 22 - 30F.
After freezing of the product to the above temperature, the flexible containers with the frozen yolks and whites are briefly warmed to permit easy removal of the frozen yolks and whites from the containers as an integral mass for chopping.
This brief period of warming to permit removal from the container does not appreciably alter the temperature of the frozen yolks and whites from the desired range of about 22 - 30F.
The separately cooked, frozen yolks and whites at a temperature range of 22 - 30F., preferably 24 - 28F, are then chopped by simultaneous or sequential feeding of the frozen yolks and whites to a mechanical chopping or cutting device to quickly subdivide the yolks and whites into small particles. It is not critical to the practice of the present process at what weight ratio the yolks and whites are combined during chopping and any weight ratio of whites and yolks may be used. A preferred weight ratio for the chopped egg product is 30 - 40 parts of yolk to 70 - 60 parts of white. An especially preferred ratio is about 30 parts of yolk to 70 parts of white since this weight ratio somewhat approximates the ratio of white to yolk normally found in whole eggs. Chopping ! ~ SP-750 .~ l72s3a may be carried out in any type of food cutter or similar device provided the temperature of the product during chopping does not rise above the noted temperature range by excessive heat gereration during chopping. - .
The ch~pped, cooked egg product is then rapidly refrozen as a mixture even though only partial thawing on the surfaces of the yolks and whites has taken place during chopping. The chopped product is best frozen while in particulate form before being placed in a container.
lQ A preferred, though non-limiting means for quick freezing the chopped yolk and white mixture is by using an individual quick frozen system of any type for quick freezing of the partic~late yolks and whites.
The resultant product, because of separate cooking of the yolks and whites, has no discoloration from contact between the two and has a uniform, bright yellow color with separate and identifiable pieces of egg white. The particles of chopped white and yolks are rela-tively uniform without significant pasting or smearing of the yolk over the surfaces of the egg white particles.
The diced product is highly suitable as a condiment for food stuffs such as salads and represents a significant improve-ment over similar condiments prepared from cooked shell eggs.
The following Examples will serve to illustrate the present invention by a description by specific embodi-ments thereof.
Example 1 To 56 lbs. of pasteurized liquid egg whites is added 8% by weight of modified food starch with the trade-name, "Consista", manufactured by A.E. Staley, Decatur, ( ( SP-750 ~ 1729~0 Illinois, and mixed. The liquid egg white containing the starch is proportioned in sausage type casings in about 2 lb. quantities. The bags are sealed and attached to a continuous conveying system for cooking and freezing. -The separated yolks and whites are cooked at aproduct temperature of 175 - 180F. in a water bath for about 45 minutes until the yolks and whites are coagulated to a firm texture. The bags containing the coagulated yolks and whites are conveyed through a water spray of 10 . -cool water at 70 - 75F. and cooled.
. ..
The coagulated yolks and whites are then placed in a freezer and frozen to a product temperature of 22 -The yolks and whites are removed from the flexi-ble bags by brief thawing of the surface.of the mass of frozen yolks and whites. 30 parts by weight of the frozen yolks and 70 parts by weight of the frozen whites are placed in a batch type cutting device consisting of a rotating bowl and a set of vertically rotating, high speed cutting blades. The yolks and whites are then chopped for a period of 3 minutes.
The chopped egg product is then refrozen before packaging by being passed through an individually quick frozen system to quick freeze the particles.
The egg product after chopping and freezing, has no significant smearing of the yolks on the particles of egg whites and consisted of relatively uniform and distinct pieces of yolks and whites. The chopped product lS highly suitable as a condiment for foodstuffs.
_ g _ ` `~ 172900(`
Example 2 12 lbs. of liquid egg white is placed in flexible plastic bags in 1 lb. portions and sealed. The bags containing the liquid egg whites are placed into a wat-er bath at a temperature of 185F. for 20 minutes in order to coagulate the egg white. Separately, 12 lbs. of liquid egg yolk is placed in separate flexible plastic bags in 1 lb.
portions and sealed. The containers containing the yolks and whites are placed in a water bath at a product temperature 10", -of 185F. for 20 minutes in order to coagulate the yolks .....
and whites to a substantially firm texture. The coagulated yolks and whites are then placed in a freezer and frozen to a product temperature of 0F.
To illustrate the importance of the temperature of the frozen product in chopping of the yo~ks and white,s, 12 lbs of cooked, frozen whites and 12 lbs. of cooked, frozen yolks were tempered in cold water until they reached a temperature of 35F. The yolks and whites were removed from their containers and placed in a cutter of the type described in Example 1 and chopped for 1 minute. The thawed whites and yolks both lost their identity during chopping and the yo~ks significantly smeared on the particles of egg white.
The smeared product was also difficult to refreeze since significant clumping of the chopped egg product took place.
A 1 lb. portion of the cooked, frozen whites and a 1 lb. portion of the cooked frozen yolks, each at a temperature of 0F. was removed to a freezer at 20F., where the product temperature was allowed to equilibrate to 20F. The yolks and whites at 20F. were then placed in a water bath and adjusted to a product temperature of 26F.
The yolks and whites were removed from their respective containers and placed in a cutter of the type disclosed in , i SP-750 -~ l729~
Example 1 and chopped for 1 minute. The yolks and whites chopped into distinct separate pieces without significant smearing of the yolk on the particles of egg white. The chopped egg product could also be easily frozen without-undesirable clumping of the product.
A 1 lb. portion of the cooked frozen whites and a 1 lb. portion of the cooked frozen yolks at a temperature of 0F. Flaced in a freezer at a temperature of 20F. where the product temperature was allowed to equilibrate to 20F. The 1~ -yolks and whites were removed from their respective casings by brief warming and chopped in a cutter for a period of 1 minute. The yolks and whites splintered during the chopping procedure creating long irregular fragments of product, with a significant amount of fines.
Having described the above invention with reference to these specific embodiments, it is to be understood that numerous variati~ns can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and it is intended to include such reasonable variations and equivalents within the scope of the present invention.
( SP-750 i 172900 cooking to form a core of egg yolk concentrically surrounded by the cooked whites. These products can be conveniently thawed and sliced and easily used by the consumer without the cooking and peeling of shell eggs. - -The above types of cooked, frozen egg productshave been extensively used by restaurants because of the ease of preparation. A recent addition to restaurants and institutions engaged in mass feeding in this country, has been the salad bar in which the customer can prepare .0 -his own salad with ingredients of his own choosing. A
popular ingredient at these salad bars is chopped or diced eggs which can be sprinkled on the salad by the customer.
Obviously, the cooking and chopping of eggs requires an extensive amount of preparation, in addition to the fact that chopping usually smears the yolk over the egg white particles resulting in a pasty mess the consumer does not readily associate with chopped eggs. In addition, when whole eggs are cooked, they also suffer from problems with green discoloration of the yolk surface which is visible in a chopped egg product since the particles are exposed by virtue of being chopped or diced.
While the cooked, frozen egg products described above avoid many of the discoloration problems associated with whole eggs, nevertheless, these products also present a poor appearance if they were simply thawed and chopped or diced since the yolk readily smears onto the whites.
A need, therefore, exists for a chopped, frozen egg product without significant smearing of the yolks on the whites, which has a smooth texture, and may be readily thawed and used by the cons~mer as an ingredient in or as a condiment for foods.
~ - ( SP-750 ~ 17290Q
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a cooked and frozen chopped egg product which avoids significant smearing of the yolk on the chopped egg white particles. - -It is also an object to provide a cooked andfrozen chopped egg product in which the yolk is a bright yellow with an absence of discoloration.
It is also an object to provide a cooked and frozen chopped egg product which has good freeze thaw 1~ -stability without significant deterioriation of the yolk and white during storage.
It is also an object to provide a cooked and frozen chopped eg~ product which has a smooth but firm texture without significant sticking or clumping of the particles of yolks and whites.
It is a further object to pro~ide a unique process for the production of a cooked and frozen chopped egg product which meets the above objectives which is reliable and convenient to practice.
SummarY of the Invention These and other objects are achieved in the present invention which provides a unique process for the production of a cooked and frozen chopped egg product.
The present process comprises separate heating of egg yolks and whites to an internal temperature of between about 165 - 210F. for a period of time sufficient to coagulate or effectively cook the yolks and the whites. The separately cooked yolks and whites are then frozen. A chopped egg mixture is formed by simultaneously or sequentially chopping the frozen whites at a critical temperature range of between about 22 - 30F. to provide a chopped egg mixture in which minimal smearing of the yolk on the whites occurs during ~ - SP-750 ~7~900 chopping and the mixture has a smooth but firm texture. The chopped mixture can then be refrozen and sold in this fashion for use by restaurants or institutions as a food condiment. The prcduct represents a distinct improvement over cooked chopped whole eggs in appearance and texture as well as convenience to the user of the product.
A significant factor in the above process which provides the chopped egg product with such desirable appearance and texture is the temperature range at which the 10. simultaneous or sequential chopping of the cooked yolk and white`is carried out. For example, if the temperature of the cooked egg during chopping is above this temperature range, extensive smearing of the yolk and the white occurs resulting in a product with an undesirable appearance. By contrast, at a temperature below this range, the yolk and the white tend to shatter or splinter resulting in an excessive amount of fines whi~h will also detract from the appearance of the mixture.
The separate cooking of the yolks and whites together with chopping at the above temperature results in a frozen diced or chopped egg product that has a desirable color, texture and appearance that can be thawed and used by the consumer.
~escription of the Preferred Embodiment In accordance with the present invention, pasteurized liquid egg yolks and whites are obtained and placed into separate containers for heating. It is not critical to the presen~ inven~ion that the yolks or whites include additional ingredients although various flavorings, spices, and or seasonings can be included if desired. It is extremely desirable, however, to include a water binding material in the egg whites since the product will be frozen and the addition , ( SP-750 :l 172900 of the water binding material prevents syneresis during subsequent freezing and thawing of the product. The water binding materials which may be employed in the present invention include polysaccharides or carbohydrates such as Golloids, starches, cereals or flours capable of absorbing and binding water. Examples of suitable materials include corn, tapioca, rice and potato starches, flours and the like. Polysaccharides such as algins, carrageenans, xanthan gum or various other colloids are also suitable as water binding materials.
Carbohydrates which are particularly preferred are.food . .
starches which have good freeze-thaw stability or possess the ability to retain water in the egg white portion after the product has been frozen and subsequently thawed. The water binding materials should be present in the egg white portion in an amount effective to prevent syneresis upon freezing and thawing, typically at levels between about 0.5 and 10% by weight of the egg whites. A preferred level is between about 2 and 4~ by weight of the egg whites.
It is also possible, although not critical, to include proteolytic enzy~es or other additives in the egg yolk portion as described in U.S. Patent 3,510,315, although such an additive can be omitted entirely.
The yolks and whites are placed in separate containers and heated. Although the exact type of apparatus or equipment used in the present process is not critical relative to practice of the present invention, a preferred container for heating is to place the yolks and whites in flexible containers or bags for immersion in the cocking baths.
This permits easy transfer of the yolks and whites through the heating and freezing steps, followed by easy removal of the frozen yolks and whites from the containers prior to chopping.
~ SP-750 i 1729`~0 Heating of the yolXs and whites is carried out in a hot water or steam bath at a temperature of between about 165 - 210F., preferably 170 - 185F. for a period of time sufficient to coagulate or effectively cook the egg yolks and whites-to a substantially firm texture and depending on the size of the container,typically about 30 - 60 minutes.
The heated or cooked yolks and whites are then removed from the cooking bath and cooled to facilitate rapid freezing either by spraying with cool water or dipping the .containers into a cool water bath. The heated whites and yolks are then frozen as quickly as possible to a product temperature of about 22 - 30F.
After freezing of the product to the above temperature, the flexible containers with the frozen yolks and whites are briefly warmed to permit easy removal of the frozen yolks and whites from the containers as an integral mass for chopping.
This brief period of warming to permit removal from the container does not appreciably alter the temperature of the frozen yolks and whites from the desired range of about 22 - 30F.
The separately cooked, frozen yolks and whites at a temperature range of 22 - 30F., preferably 24 - 28F, are then chopped by simultaneous or sequential feeding of the frozen yolks and whites to a mechanical chopping or cutting device to quickly subdivide the yolks and whites into small particles. It is not critical to the practice of the present process at what weight ratio the yolks and whites are combined during chopping and any weight ratio of whites and yolks may be used. A preferred weight ratio for the chopped egg product is 30 - 40 parts of yolk to 70 - 60 parts of white. An especially preferred ratio is about 30 parts of yolk to 70 parts of white since this weight ratio somewhat approximates the ratio of white to yolk normally found in whole eggs. Chopping ! ~ SP-750 .~ l72s3a may be carried out in any type of food cutter or similar device provided the temperature of the product during chopping does not rise above the noted temperature range by excessive heat gereration during chopping. - .
The ch~pped, cooked egg product is then rapidly refrozen as a mixture even though only partial thawing on the surfaces of the yolks and whites has taken place during chopping. The chopped product is best frozen while in particulate form before being placed in a container.
lQ A preferred, though non-limiting means for quick freezing the chopped yolk and white mixture is by using an individual quick frozen system of any type for quick freezing of the partic~late yolks and whites.
The resultant product, because of separate cooking of the yolks and whites, has no discoloration from contact between the two and has a uniform, bright yellow color with separate and identifiable pieces of egg white. The particles of chopped white and yolks are rela-tively uniform without significant pasting or smearing of the yolk over the surfaces of the egg white particles.
The diced product is highly suitable as a condiment for food stuffs such as salads and represents a significant improve-ment over similar condiments prepared from cooked shell eggs.
The following Examples will serve to illustrate the present invention by a description by specific embodi-ments thereof.
Example 1 To 56 lbs. of pasteurized liquid egg whites is added 8% by weight of modified food starch with the trade-name, "Consista", manufactured by A.E. Staley, Decatur, ( ( SP-750 ~ 1729~0 Illinois, and mixed. The liquid egg white containing the starch is proportioned in sausage type casings in about 2 lb. quantities. The bags are sealed and attached to a continuous conveying system for cooking and freezing. -The separated yolks and whites are cooked at aproduct temperature of 175 - 180F. in a water bath for about 45 minutes until the yolks and whites are coagulated to a firm texture. The bags containing the coagulated yolks and whites are conveyed through a water spray of 10 . -cool water at 70 - 75F. and cooled.
. ..
The coagulated yolks and whites are then placed in a freezer and frozen to a product temperature of 22 -The yolks and whites are removed from the flexi-ble bags by brief thawing of the surface.of the mass of frozen yolks and whites. 30 parts by weight of the frozen yolks and 70 parts by weight of the frozen whites are placed in a batch type cutting device consisting of a rotating bowl and a set of vertically rotating, high speed cutting blades. The yolks and whites are then chopped for a period of 3 minutes.
The chopped egg product is then refrozen before packaging by being passed through an individually quick frozen system to quick freeze the particles.
The egg product after chopping and freezing, has no significant smearing of the yolks on the particles of egg whites and consisted of relatively uniform and distinct pieces of yolks and whites. The chopped product lS highly suitable as a condiment for foodstuffs.
_ g _ ` `~ 172900(`
Example 2 12 lbs. of liquid egg white is placed in flexible plastic bags in 1 lb. portions and sealed. The bags containing the liquid egg whites are placed into a wat-er bath at a temperature of 185F. for 20 minutes in order to coagulate the egg white. Separately, 12 lbs. of liquid egg yolk is placed in separate flexible plastic bags in 1 lb.
portions and sealed. The containers containing the yolks and whites are placed in a water bath at a product temperature 10", -of 185F. for 20 minutes in order to coagulate the yolks .....
and whites to a substantially firm texture. The coagulated yolks and whites are then placed in a freezer and frozen to a product temperature of 0F.
To illustrate the importance of the temperature of the frozen product in chopping of the yo~ks and white,s, 12 lbs of cooked, frozen whites and 12 lbs. of cooked, frozen yolks were tempered in cold water until they reached a temperature of 35F. The yolks and whites were removed from their containers and placed in a cutter of the type described in Example 1 and chopped for 1 minute. The thawed whites and yolks both lost their identity during chopping and the yo~ks significantly smeared on the particles of egg white.
The smeared product was also difficult to refreeze since significant clumping of the chopped egg product took place.
A 1 lb. portion of the cooked, frozen whites and a 1 lb. portion of the cooked frozen yolks, each at a temperature of 0F. was removed to a freezer at 20F., where the product temperature was allowed to equilibrate to 20F. The yolks and whites at 20F. were then placed in a water bath and adjusted to a product temperature of 26F.
The yolks and whites were removed from their respective containers and placed in a cutter of the type disclosed in , i SP-750 -~ l729~
Example 1 and chopped for 1 minute. The yolks and whites chopped into distinct separate pieces without significant smearing of the yolk on the particles of egg white. The chopped egg product could also be easily frozen without-undesirable clumping of the product.
A 1 lb. portion of the cooked frozen whites and a 1 lb. portion of the cooked frozen yolks at a temperature of 0F. Flaced in a freezer at a temperature of 20F. where the product temperature was allowed to equilibrate to 20F. The 1~ -yolks and whites were removed from their respective casings by brief warming and chopped in a cutter for a period of 1 minute. The yolks and whites splintered during the chopping procedure creating long irregular fragments of product, with a significant amount of fines.
Having described the above invention with reference to these specific embodiments, it is to be understood that numerous variati~ns can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and it is intended to include such reasonable variations and equivalents within the scope of the present invention.
Claims (16)
1. A method of forming a chopped egg product comprising:
a. separately heating egg yolks and egg whites at a temperature of between about 165 - 210°F.
for a period of time effective to coagulate the yolks and whites, b. freezing said coagulated yolks and whites, c. chopping the frozen whites and yolks at a temperature of between about 22 - 30°F. to provide a chopped egg mixture without smearing of the yolks.
a. separately heating egg yolks and egg whites at a temperature of between about 165 - 210°F.
for a period of time effective to coagulate the yolks and whites, b. freezing said coagulated yolks and whites, c. chopping the frozen whites and yolks at a temperature of between about 22 - 30°F. to provide a chopped egg mixture without smearing of the yolks.
2. A method as set forth in Claim 1 wherein the yolks and whites are heated to a temperature of between about 170 - 185°F.
3. A method as set forth in Claim 1 wherein said egg whites includes a water binding agent in an amount effective to prevent syneresis during freezing and thawing of said pro-duct.
4. A method as set forth in Claim 3 wherein the amount of water binding agent is between about 0.5 and 10% by weight of the egg whites.
5. A method as set forth in Claim 4 wherein the amount of water binding agent is between about 2 and 4% by weight of the egg whites.
6. A method as set forth in Claim 1 wherein the frozen yolks and whites are chopped at a temperature of between about 24 - 28°F.
?
?
7. A method as set forth in Claim 1 wherein the frozen whites and yolks are combined in a weight ratio of 30:40 parts yolks to 70:60 parts whites during chopping.
8. A method as set forth in Claim 7 wherein the frozen whites and yolks are combined in a weight ratio of 70 parts of yolks and 30 parts of whites.
9. A method as set forth in Claim 1 including the step of refreezing the egg mixture after chopping.
10. A method of forming a cooked, and frozen chopped egg product comprising:
a. separately heating egg yolks and whites at a temperature of between about 170 - 185°F. for a period of time effective to coagulate the yolks and whites, b. freezing said coagulated yolks and whites, c. chopping the frozen whites and yolks at a temperature of between about 22 - 30°F. to provide a chopped egg mixture having a weight ratio of 30:40 parts of yolks to 70:60 parts of whites.
a. separately heating egg yolks and whites at a temperature of between about 170 - 185°F. for a period of time effective to coagulate the yolks and whites, b. freezing said coagulated yolks and whites, c. chopping the frozen whites and yolks at a temperature of between about 22 - 30°F. to provide a chopped egg mixture having a weight ratio of 30:40 parts of yolks to 70:60 parts of whites.
11. A method as set forth in Claim 10 wherein said egg whites includes a water binding agent in an amount effec-tive to prevent syneresis during freezing and thawing of said product.
12. A method as set forth in Claim 11 wherein the amount of water binding agent is between about 0.5 and 10% by weight of the egg whites.
13. A method as set forth in Claim 12 wherein the amount of water binding agent is between about 2 and 4% by weight of the whites.
14. A method as set forth in Claim 10 wherein the frozen yolks and whites are chopped at a temperature of between about 24 - 28°F.
15. A method as set forth in Claim 11 wherein the frozen whites and yolks are combined in a weight ratio of about 30 parts of yolks and about 70 parts of whites.
16. A method of forming a cooked and frozen chopped egg product comprising:
a. separately heating egg yolks and whites at a temperature of between about 170 - 185°F. for a period of time effective to coagulate the yolks and whites;
b. freezing said coagulated yolks and whites, c. chopping the frozen whites and yolks at a temperature of between about 24 - 28°F. to provide a chopped egg mixture having a weight ratio of 30:40 parts of yolks to 60:70 parts of whites; and d. refreezing said chopped egg mixture.
a. separately heating egg yolks and whites at a temperature of between about 170 - 185°F. for a period of time effective to coagulate the yolks and whites;
b. freezing said coagulated yolks and whites, c. chopping the frozen whites and yolks at a temperature of between about 24 - 28°F. to provide a chopped egg mixture having a weight ratio of 30:40 parts of yolks to 60:70 parts of whites; and d. refreezing said chopped egg mixture.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US18458580A | 1980-09-05 | 1980-09-05 | |
| US184,585 | 1980-09-05 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1172900A true CA1172900A (en) | 1984-08-21 |
Family
ID=22677509
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000382077A Expired CA1172900A (en) | 1980-09-05 | 1981-07-20 | Process for the production of a frozen chopped egg product |
Country Status (5)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JPS5774039A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1172900A (en) |
| DE (1) | DE3134730A1 (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2489662A1 (en) |
| NL (1) | NL8104083A (en) |
Families Citing this family (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0145544B1 (en) * | 1983-11-07 | 1987-06-03 | L'air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'etude Et L'exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude | Process and apparatus for making particles of frozen food products |
-
1981
- 1981-07-20 CA CA000382077A patent/CA1172900A/en not_active Expired
- 1981-09-01 FR FR8116643A patent/FR2489662A1/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1981-09-02 DE DE19813134730 patent/DE3134730A1/en not_active Ceased
- 1981-09-03 JP JP56137878A patent/JPS5774039A/en active Pending
- 1981-09-03 NL NL8104083A patent/NL8104083A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| NL8104083A (en) | 1982-04-01 |
| FR2489662A1 (en) | 1982-03-12 |
| DE3134730A1 (en) | 1982-04-01 |
| JPS5774039A (en) | 1982-05-10 |
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