Commercial-scale application of thermal trap technology for external disinfection of shell eggs from Salmonella

Salmonella is a zoonotic pathogen that is commonly transmitted through food. External disinfection of shell eggs is of crucial importance to health in reducing egg-borne salmonellosis, because Salmonella on shells can be easily transmitted to other food products or infect food handlers. A new thermal treatment was developed for the inactivation of Salmonella Enterica on shell eggs. Steam was applied to the eggs while being conveyed through a thermal trap (TT)-a partially enclosed chamber filled with steam. Following system optimization, a short treatment of 2 s in a TT operated at 37,600 eggs/h completely inactivated Salmonella (>10(7) CFU) artificially inoculated in small circles (ca. 11 mm diameter) on fresh shell eggs. The treatment had no adverse effects on egg quality or shelf life.

Automated summary

Salmonella, a pathogen commonly transmitted through food, can be easily transmitted from egg shells to other food products or infect food handlers. A new thermal treatment using steam has been developed to effectively inactivate Salmonella on egg shells without adverse effects on egg quality or shelf life.