Rapid cooling doubles eggs’ shelf lifeJune 12th, 2012 - 3:45 pm
ICT by IANS Washington, June 12 (IANS) Taking just a few seconds
to cool, freshly-laid eggs would add weeks to their shelf life
and also stave off salmonella illnesses, according to a new
study. The rapid-cooling process, developed by Kevin Keener,
professor of food science at Purdue University, uses liquid
carbon dioxide to stabilize the proteins in egg whites so much
that they could be rated AA, the highest grade for eggs, for 12
weeks. Previous research showed that the same cooling technology
could significantly reduce occurrences of salmonella illnesses.
Its symptoms are diarrhoea, fever, vomiting, and abdominal
cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. Eggs cooled under current
methods lose the AA grade in about six weeks, Keener said, the
journal Poultry Science reports. Such outbreaks are commonly
linked with eggs, meat and poultry, but these bacteria can also
contaminate other foods such as fruits and vegetables. The
infection usually occurs