Innovative egg treatments for reducing bacterial contamination of egg surface and contents Work Package number: 5 - Task 5.2: Hot air pasteurisation

An innovative egg treatments for reducing bacterial contamination of egg surface and contents and a plant hypotesis is presented. A numerical model describing the thermal interaction between air and egg was developed. The model was solved in transient conditions, sampling the parameters space (air temperature; air speed; duration of the treatment; cooling interval between successive treatments). Testing many different thermal cycles, it was possible to find the most promising, in terms of inner and outer temperature. On the basis of the simulation results, three thermal cycles, was chosen and applied to three samples of 12 eggs, inoculated with salmonella Enteridis:1)4s @ 600°C; 2)6s @ 600°C; 3)8s @ 500°C. Microbiologic assessment of the results will follow. Next steps: more affordable thermal measurement and application of some hot air cycles alternated by some minutes of cooling.