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Reducing allergens in eggs discovered
A study that describes a new process to greatly reduce allergens in eggs
will be published next month by the US Journal of Agriculture and Food
Chemistry.
The findings from this study will benefit food manufacturers, allowing the
production of safer and more specialised food products for egg allergy
sufferers.
In the study, scientists from Germany and Switzerland describe how during
"a nine-step process" they exposed raw eggs to a combination of high heat and
enzymes to break down their main allergens. The researchers then tested the
reduced-allergen egg against blood serum collected from people with an egg
allergy. The results show that modified egg product is 100 times less allergenic
than raw egg.
According to the scientists, the modified egg does not significantly alter
flavour and texture when used in various products.
"With the described process the aim was achieved to generate a product from
hen's egg with very low allergenic potential. If eggs are pretreated...
allergenicity could be strongly reduced while texturising and taste properties
were preserved, from comparison of products such as rice cake or pudding made
from either pasteurized egg or the product produced."
Eggs are used in many food formulations due to its foaming, gelling and
emulsifying properties.
Editor WorldPoultry
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