ARS | Publication request: PASTEURIZATION OF EGG PRODUCTS TO INACTIVATE AVIAN INFLUENZA AND NEWCASTLE DISEASE VIRUSES

Submitted to: United States Animal Health Association Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: October 14, 2003
Publication Date: January 1, 2004
Citation: Swayne, D.E., Suarez, D.L. 2004. Pasteurization of Egg Products to Inactivate Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease Viruses. United States Animal Health Association Proceedings, p547-548, 2004.

Technical Abstract: A series of individual studies were conducted in triplicate to look at inactivation of avian influenza (AI) (low pathogenicity - A/chicken/New York/13142-5/92 [H7N2]; high pathogenicity -A/chicken/Pennsylvania/1370/83 [H5N2]) and Newcastle disease (lentogens 'Ulster and B1 vaccine viruses; velogen - California END virus) when treated at industry standard pasteurization temperatures and in various egg products (homogenized egg [61C], 10% salted egg yolk [63C] and dried egg whites[55C]). For the first 2 products, we chose to take samples at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 and 12 minutes of treatment. For the dried egg whites, we took samples at 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 and 10 days of treatment. We added the viruses to the egg products to achieve a final concentration approximately equal to 5log10 EID50/ml of egg products (range 4.5-6.4log10 EID50/ml). Complete inactivation of the LP and HPAI viruses was accomplished in < 2 min in homogenized egg, < 2 min in salted egg yolks and <7 days in dried egg whites. For Newcastle disease viruses, <1 min in homogenized whole egg, < 1 min in salted egg yolk, and <2 days in dried egg whites. In conclusion, the common industry standards for pasteurization of various egg products will inactivate LP or HPAI viruses, and ND viruses at contamination levels far above those reported naturally.