Consumer acceptance of UV-C treated liquid egg products and preparations with UV-C treated eggs

The impact of short wave ultraviolet (UV-C) treatments on the organoleptic attributes of liquid egg products (raw or cooked: egg white, egg yolk, whole egg) and products containing UV-C treated liquid egg products as ingredient (mayonnaise, pudding, angel cake) is evaluated. Consumers were asked to distinguish between samples in triangle tests, and to express the degree of liking in acceptance tests. UV-C (5 to 30 min) or heat (following USDA ARS 74-48, 1969) resulted in comparable microbial losses for each product. UV-C treated liquid egg products could not be differentiated from the control below 25 min treatments. Processed egg fractions, cooked, or in egg preparations, could not be differentiated from the controls, either if heated or treated under UV-C during 30 min. Likely, overall scores for the sensory parameters evaluated indicated an acceptability of UV-C treated egg fractions or their preparations not significantly different from that of untreated and they were perceived as comparable to, or, in some cases, better than the thermally pasteurized eggs. No off-flavours due to UV-C treatments were reported. This study confirms no adverse effects on consumer acceptance of egg products processed by UV-C, with overall appearance or taste similar to the controls. Those findings are valuable to further consider UV-C treatment of eggs as a feasible alternative to heat. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.