The present invention relates to the field of food products, especially food products specifically designed for providing health benefits beyond the basic function of nutrition for a subject consuming the product on a regular basis, e.g. on a daily basis. According to the present invention eggs are produced, in particular chicken eggs, that are enriched in one or more pharmacologically active nutrients. The egg yolk obtained from the aforementioned eggs can suitably be used in high amounts as a component of a functional food product having all the characteristics that are normally required for such functional food products. A preferred example of a food product in accordance with the invention is a ready to drink shot containing approximately one whole egg yolk in a volume as small as 100 ml.

A method for preparing frozen or refrigerated fried eggs from whole, fresh eggs, the method comprising: breaking whole, fresh eggs (1) into a support (3) impregnated with edible fat; introducing the support (3) carrying the broken whole fresh eggs (2) into an oven (4) comprising ventilation means; heating the oven until the inner part of the yolk of the broken whole fresh eggs reaches a temperature of 65 to 73 C.; taking said support carrying the eggs out of the oven, wherein said eggs are fried eggs; cooling the fried eggs for reducing their residual heat in order to prevent the inner part of the yolk to exceed 73 C.; freezing or refrigerating the cooled fried eggs.

A fast home curing device comprises a top cover, a body and a power module. A pressure sensor, an electromagnetic valve, an air pump, a controller and a power module are disposed inside the chamber. The top cover and the body form a sealed space when combined. An electromagnetic valve air inlet is connected with a ventilating hole located on the outer surface of the top cover, an electromagnetic valve air outlet is connected with a venting tube disposed on a bottom of the top cover. An air pump air inlet is connected with a suction hole located on the bottom of the top cover, an air pump air outlet is connected with the ventilating hole. A pressure sensor output is coupled with a controller input. An air pump input and an electromagnetic valve input are coupled with a controller output respectively.

Engineered food to promote health and maintain homeostasis in a subject and methods of producing the food.

A packaged food product and methods of making and using it. In some embodiments. The packaged food product may comprise a cup containing multiple ingredients in sealed pouches suitable for use in making an omelet or other egg-based entres, with the cup being suitable for microwave cooking of an egg-based entre. The ingredients may include vegetable components that offer organoleptic properties similar to those of fresh vegetables after an extended period of time. Ideally, time required for processing, shipment, storage, etc., which may be, e.g., several weeks, may pass without unacceptable degradation of taste, texture, mouth feel, flavor, aroma, color, nutritional content or other important qualities. In some embodiments, the ingredients may also include additional components, such as, for example, one or more meats, and/or one or more varieties of cheese.

Provided are methods of manufacturing a cooked egg product having irregular shaped egg curds similar in shape, size, and mouthfeel to that of freshly cooked scrambled eggs. Liquid egg product is optionally first preheated then transferred to a belt oven and cooked to form a layer of cooked egg product. The layer of cooked egg product is then transported through an agitator, which initially breaks down the layer of cooked egg product, and subsequently is passed through a forming plate to shape the cooked egg product into irregular shaped egg curds similar in appearance to that of freshly cooked scrambled eggs. This process allows for a simplified ingredient deck and reduces the number of fines present in the final product.

A method for manufacturing a shelf-stable food product is provided. The method may include providing an egg base, providing a hydrocolloid set, providing a fat, homogenizing the egg base with at least the hydrocolloid set and the fat into a batter, sealing a batter portion of the batter into a container, and heating the container. The egg base may have a first ratio of egg white solids to egg yolk solids within a range of 2.25:1 and 4.75:1. A shelf-stable food product made by disclosed methods is also provided. The shelf-stable food product may be enclosed with heat resistant packaging.

Provided is a protein aggregation inhibitor capable of inhibiting aggregation of a protein even when the protein is heated, and further, capable of inhibiting a decrease in the protein activity even when the protein is heated, which characteristically contains a sulfobetaine polymer obtained by polymerizing monomer components containing sulfobetaine monomer represented by the formula (I):

##STR00001##

wherein R.sup.1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R.sup.2 is an alkylene group having a carbon number of 1-4, R.sup.3 is an alkyl group having a carbon number of 1-4, R.sup.4 is an alkylene group having a carbon number of 1-4, and X is an NH group or an O group.

Provided are compositions, and methods of making the same, including a liquid egg product and a plant fiber, where the plant fiber has at least one of a carrot fiber, an oat fiber, and a corn fiber.

Provided are methods of manufacturing a cooked egg product having irregular shaped egg curds similar in shape, size, and mouthfeel to that of freshly cooked scrambled eggs. Liquid egg product is optionally first preheated then transferred to a belt oven and cooked to form a layer of cooked egg product. The layer of cooked egg product is then transported through an agitator, which initially breaks down the layer of cooked egg product, and subsequently is passed through a forming plate to shape the cooked egg product into irregular shaped egg curds similar in appearance to that of freshly cooked scrambled eggs. This process allows for a simplified ingredient deck and reduces the number of fines present in the final product.