A cooking appliance includes: a base; a heater basin mounted above the base and comprising a floor and a side wall that form a cavity configured to hold water, the side wall having a perimeter edge; a heating element mounted beneath the floor of the heater basin and configured to be connected to a power source; an egg cup unit comprising a main panel and at least one cup depending from the main panel, the main panel having a perimeter edge, the at least one cup having a floor that contacts the floor of the heater basin; and a lid attached to the base and configured to cover the egg cup unit. The perimeter edge of the heater basin and the perimeter edge of the egg cup unit are in contact, the interaction of the perimeter edge of the egg cup unit and the perimeter edge of the heater basin configured to impede flow of steam generated by boiling water in the cavity of the heater basin.

A process to coagulate wasted eggs which includes an acidification step of the liquid egg, followed by a coagulation step using a heat exchanger, such as a scraped surface heat exchanger, and optionally a drying step. The obtained coagulated egg product has useful properties and can be used as animal food. The process allows the disposal of wasted eggs generated in the poultry and related industries and the production of a valuable by-product with high protein and fat content.

A raw meat protein product is prepared by a process comprising directing a raw meat protein along a mixture conduit, placing steam in contact with the raw meat protein to raise the temperature of the raw meat protein to a pathogen neutralizing temperature, and maintaining that temperature in the raw meat protein for a treatment period of time. The process then includes applying a vacuum to the heated raw meat protein to vaporize water that has condensed from the steam and then separating the raw meat protein from the vaporized water and any remaining steam.

A raw meat protein product is prepared by a process comprising directing a raw meat protein along a mixture conduit, placing steam in contact with the raw meat protein to raise the temperature of the raw meat protein to a pathogen neutralizing temperature, and maintaining that temperature in the raw meat protein for a treatment period of time. The process then includes applying a vacuum to the heated raw meat protein to vaporize water that has condensed from the steam and then separating the raw meat protein from the vaporized water and any remaining steam.

An article includes a mixture release component defining a mixture release volume and also includes a heated mixture located within the mixture release volume. The heated mixture includes undenatured meat protein and water condensed from steam. A mixture release opening is included at an outlet end of the mixture release volume and this mixture release opening defines a passage from the mixture release volume to a vacuum chamber volume defined by a vacuum chamber. A vacuum is applied to the vacuum chamber volume. The steam from which the water has condensed comprises steam that has been placed in direct contact with a stream of undenatured meat protein in a direct steam injector having a mixture outlet operatively connected to the mixture release component.

An article includes a mixture release component defining a mixture release volume and also includes a heated mixture located within the mixture release volume. The heated mixture includes undenatured meat protein and water condensed from steam. A mixture release opening is included at an outlet end of the mixture release volume and this mixture release opening defines a passage from the mixture release volume to a vacuum chamber volume defined by a vacuum chamber. A vacuum is applied to the vacuum chamber volume. The steam from which the water has condensed comprises steam that has been placed in direct contact with a stream of undenatured meat protein in a direct steam injector having a mixture outlet operatively connected to the mixture release component.

The invention relates to a liquid egg white, with novel organoleptic and texture and/or rheological characteristics. It also relates to the methods to produce it and to compositions and food products comprising it.

Soft cooked egg products having a runny yolk are prepared by removing the eggs from their shells; cooking so that the egg white has a temperature of no more than about 175° F. and the egg yolk has a temperature of no more than about 150° F.; cooling the egg to an internal temperature of 75° F. or less; sealing the egg in a package; and pasteurizing. Alternatively the shell-less eggs are packaged sealed in a package and cooked so that the egg white has a temperature of no more than about 175° F. and the egg yolk has an internal temperature of no more than about 150° F. The processes are carried out under processing conditions such that the pasteurized, cooked, packaged eggs have runny yolks. Products made by this process are also described.

An in-line shell egg pasteurizer has a clean-in-place system. Empty shell egg carriers are placed in the water bath for multiple cleaning cycles. The cleaning solution level is lowered to expose the shell egg carriers and the top parts of the water bath walls. An air perturbation is used to agitate cleaning solution held in the bottom of the water bath and clean heating coils and other components located in the bottom of the water bath. Sprayers (e.g., nozzles, cleaning spray balls, etc. . . . ) mounted on a hood over the water bath clean the top parts of the water bath walls and the empty shell egg carriers placed in the water bath.

A nutritional or dietary egg supplement or food product is provided that may be eaten by children or adults. The food product is made solely of whole hen's eggs or egg whites that have been heat treated to selectively denature allergenic proteins s compared to a natural hen's egg.