Why can ultrapasteurized liquid egg products last longer than ordinary liquid egg products?

Ultrapasteurized liquid egg products have a longer shelf life than ordinary liquid egg products because they undergo a more intensive heat treatment combined with aseptic packaging techniques.1

While standard liquid egg products are typically pasteurized at 60 °C (140 °F) for 3.5 minutes, resulting in a shelf life of only two to six days, the ultrapasteurization process uses higher temperatures to more effectively reduce the population of spoilage-causing microorganisms. When this process is paired with aseptic packaging, which prevents recontamination of the product after it has been treated, the shelf life can be extended to approximately six weeks.12

It is important to note that because these products are not rendered completely sterile—unlike products subjected to more severe sterilization processes—they still require refrigeration to maintain their quality and safety.32