How does pasteurization change the safety and shelf life of liquid egg products?

Pasteurization is a heat-treatment process that enhances food safety by destroying pathogenic microorganisms. For liquid egg products, this process is essential for ensuring the safety of the final product.1

Typically, liquid egg products are pasteurized at 60 °C (140 °F) for 3.5 minutes, which provides a shelf life of two to six days. To further extend the storage life of these products, some processors utilize ultrapasteurization combined with aseptic packaging techniques, which can increase the shelf life to approximately six weeks.2