Present and Potential Use of Egg Products in the Food Manufacturing Industry

Excerpts from the report: Since World War II, considerable progress has been made in improving liquid, frozen, and dried (egg solids) products. Research in egg processing technology, quality control, and functional properties conducted at the Department's Western Regional Research Laboratory has paved the way for greater egg product utilization, especially in the dried form. Simultaneously, however, improvements were also being made in egg substitutes. In some cases, these egg substitutes duplicate the functional properties of eggs and are often available to food manufacturers at substantially less cost. This potentially serious threat to the egg industry can be countered by finding more ways to satisfy the egg product needs of food manufacturers. The study was designed primarily to ascertain (1) the present status of egg products in food remanufacturing, (2) to determine what changes might reasonably be expected in these uses within the next few years, and (3) to determine the economic and technical factors that affect the degree of utilization of individual egg products in specific applications. To fulfill the objectives of the study, it was necessary to learn the product characteristics desired by the major users in addition to finding out current use patterns. The data in this report will provide researchers in the egg processing industry and in Government guides to future product and market development.