ARS | Publication request: Thermal inactivation of avian influenza virus in liquid egg products

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: April 28, 2011
Publication Date: July 31, 2011
Citation: Chmielewski, R.A., Beck, J.R., Swayne, D.E. 2011. Thermal inactivation of avian influenza virus in liquid egg products [abstract]. International Association of Food Protection Conference, July 31-August 3, 2011, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. CD-ROM.

Technical Abstract: Thirty eight percent of the 200 million cases of shelled eggs produced per year in the U.S. are processed as liquid egg product. The U.S. also exports internationally a large amount of egg products. Although the U.S. is normally free of avian influenza, concern about contamination of egg product with these viruses has in the past resulted in restrictions on trade. Because these liquid egg products are normally pasteurized, this study was performed to see if normal pasteurization times and temperatures would be effective at inactivating 100,000 virus/ ml of low pathogenic avian influenza virus in these four egg products. Survival curves were generated to determine thermal resistance (D and zD values) of low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) /chicken/New York/13142/94 (H7N2) artificially inoculated into fortified, sugared and plain egg products at 106.3EID50/ml then heat treated at various times and temperatures. The D-values for 10% sugared egg product resulted in D56, D57, D58, D59, D60, D61, D62.2, and D63.3 of 0.63, 0.52, 0.47, 0.29, 0.26, 0.24, 0.23, and 0.19 min, respectively, and zD value was 1.2ºC. For fortified egg product the D57, D58, D59, D60, D61.1, and D62 values were 0.68, 0.44, 0.40, 0.36, 0.13, and 0.13 min, respectively, and a zD value of 0.7 ºC. For plain egg yolk (38 % solid) the D57, D58, D59, D60, D61.1, and D62 values were 0.62, 0.61, 0.60, 0.60, 0.59, and 0.48 min, respectively, and a zD value of 0.02 ºC. For salted egg yolk product the D58, D59, D60, D61, D62.2, and D63.3 values were 0.69, 0.69, 0.68, 0.67, 0.37, and 0.3 min respectively, and a zD value of 0.03ºC. The data demonstrate that LPAI would not survive the pasteurization processes for liquid egg products. Usage of this data in developing egg pasteurization standards for AI infected countries should allow safe trade in liquid egg products.