On food and cooking the science and lore of the kitchen ( PDFDrive ) 168

old and people with weakened immune systems The best way to reduce the already small chance of using a badly contaminated egg is to buy only refrigerated eggs and to speed them into your own refrigerator Cook all egg dishes sufficiently to kill any bacteria that might be present This generally means holding a temperature of at least 140ºF/60ºC for minutes, or 160ºF/70ºC for minute Egg yolks will remain runny at the first temperature, but will harden at the second For many lightly cooked egg dishes — softboiled and poached eggs, for example, and the yolk-based sauces — it’s possible to modify traditional recipes so as to eliminate any salmonella that might be present (see box, p 91) Pasteurized Eggs Three safer alternatives to fresh eggs are eggs pasteurized in the shell, liquid eggs, and dried egg whites, all of which are available in supermarkets Intact eggs, blended whole eggs, or separated yolks and whites can all be pasteurized by careful heating to temperatures between 130 and 140ºF/55–60ºC, just below the range in which the egg proteins begin to coagulate Dried egg whites, which are reconstituted in water to make lightly cooked meringues, can be pasteurized either before or after the drying For most uses, these products do an adequate job of replacing fresh eggs, though there is usually some loss in foaming or emulsifying power and in stability to further heating; and heating and drying alter the mild egg flavor The Chemistry of Egg Cooking: How Eggs Get Hard and Custards Thicken The most commonplace procedures involving eggs are also some of the most astonishing kitchen magic You begin with a slippery, ... emulsifying power and in stability to further heating; and heating and drying alter the mild egg flavor The Chemistry of Egg Cooking: How Eggs Get Hard and Custards Thicken The most commonplace procedures involving... reconstituted in water to make lightly cooked meringues, can be pasteurized either before or after the drying For most uses, these products do an adequate job of replacing fresh eggs, though there... whole eggs, or separated yolks and whites can all be pasteurized by careful heating to temperatures between 130 and 140ºF/55–60ºC, just below the range in which the egg proteins begin to coagulate