Removal of Salmonella Enteritidis from commercial unpasteurized liquid egg white using pilot scale cross flow tangential microfiltration

Effectiveness of a cross flow microfiltration (MF) process for removal of a cocktail of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis species from commercial unpasteurized liquid egg white (LEW) from a local egg breaking plant, while maintaining its functional properties was evaluated. To facilitate MF, LEW was wedge screened, homogenized and then diluted (1:2 w/w) with distilled water containing 0.5% sodium chloride. Diluted unpasteurized LEW was inoculated with five strains of S. Enteritidis (ATCC 4931, ATCC BAA-708, ATCC 49215, ATCC 49218, and ATCC BAA-1045) to a level of approximately 10⁷ CFU/mL of LEW and microfiltered using a ceramic membrane. Process parameters influencing egg white functional properties and pathogen removal efficiency were evaluated. Average permeates flux increased by almost 126% when pH of LEW was adjusted from pH 8 to pH 7 at 25 °C. Microbial removal efficiency was at least, on average, 6.8 Log₁₀ CFU/mL (limit of detection ≤ 0.5 Log₁₀ CFU/mL). Functional property analysis indicated that the MF process did not alter the foaming power of LEW.