(a) The food dried egg whites, egg white solids, dried egg albumen, egg albumen solids is prepared by drying liquid egg whites conforming to the requirements of §160.140 (or deviating from that section only by not being Salmonella free). As a preliminary step to drying, the lysozyme and avidin contents may be reduced. If lysozyme and avidin levels are reduced, cation exchange resins regulated for use under §173.25 of this chapter shall be used. As a further preliminary step to drying, the glucose content of the liquid egg whites is reduced by adjusting the pH, where necessary, with food-grade acid and by following one of the optional procedures set forth in paragraph (b) of this section. If the food is prepared from liquid egg whites conforming in all respects to the requirements of §160.140, drying shall be done with such precautions that the finished food is free of viable Salmonella microorganisms. If the food is prepared from liquid egg whites that are not Salmonella free, the dried product shall be so treated by heat or otherwise as to render the finished food free of viable Salmonella microorganisms. Dried egg whites may be powdered.

(b) The optional glucose-removing procedures are:

(1) Enzyme procedure. A glucose-oxidase-catalase preparation and hydrogen peroxide solution are added to liquid egg whites. The quantity used and the time of reaction are sufficient to substantially reduce the glucose content. The glucose-oxidase-catalase preparation used is one that is generally recognized as safe within the meaning of section 201(s) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The hydrogen peroxide solution used shall comply with the specifications of the United States Pharmacopeia, except that it may exceed the concentration specified therein and it does not contain a preservative.

(2) Controlled fermentation procedures—(i) Yeast procedure. Food-grade baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is added to the liquid egg whites and controlled fermentation is maintained. The quantity of yeast used and the time of reaction are sufficient to substantially reduce the glucose content.

(ii) Bacterial procedure. The liquid egg whites are subjected to the action of a culture of glucose-fermenting bacteria either generally recognized as safe within the meaning of section 201(s) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act or the subject of a regulation established pursuant to section 409 of the act, and the culture is used in conformity with such regulation. The quantity of the culture used is sufficient to predominate in the fermentation and the time and temperature of reaction are sufficient to substantially reduce the glucose content.

(c)

(1) Dried egg whites in which the lysozyme and avidin have been reduced shall not be nutritionally inferior, as defined in §101.3(e)(4)(i) of this chapter, and shall be considered nutritionally equivalent to untreated egg whites if they meet the conditions that the biological quality of the protein contained is equal to or greater than that of untreated egg white from the same batch of liquid egg white.

(2) Compliance with the biological quality of protein requirement of paragraph (c)(1) of this section shall be determined by the analytical method prescribed in “Official Methods of Analysis of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists,” 14th Ed. (1984), section 43.253-43.257, “Protein Efficiency Ratio, Rat Bioassay, Final Action,” which is incorporated by reference. Copies may be obtained from the AOAC INTERNATIONAL, 481 North Frederick Ave., suite 500, Gaithersburg, MD 20877, or may be examined at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this material at NARA, call 202-741-6030, or go to: http://www.archives.gov/federal__register/code__of__federal__regulations/ibr__locations.html.

(d) When the dried egg whites are prepared from liquid egg whites containing any optional ingredients added as whipping aids, as provided for in §160.140(a), the common names of such optional ingredients shall be listed on the principal display panel or panels of the label with such prominence and conspicuousness as to render the names likely to be read and understood by ordinary individuals under customary conditions of purchase.

(e) The name of the food for which a definition and standard of identity is prescribed in this section is alternatively “Dried egg whites”, Egg white solids”, “Dried egg albumen”, or “Egg albumen solids”. If the lysozyme and avidin content is reduced as provided in paragraph (a) of this section, the name shall be immediately preceded or followed by the statement “lysozyme and avidin reduced” when the dried egg whites are sold as such. When the dried egg whites are used in a fabricated food, the statement “lysozyme and avidin reduced” may be omitted from any declaration of ingredients required under §101.4 of this chapter.

(f) Label declaration. Each of the ingredients used in the food shall be declared on the label as required by the applicable sections of parts 101 and 130 of this chapter.

[42 FR 14462, Mar. 15, 1977, as amended at 51 FR 11435, Apr. 3, 1986; 51 FR 25362, July 14, 1986; 54 FR 24895, June 12, 1989; 58 FR 2883, Jan. 6, 1993; 63 FR 14035, Mar. 24, 1998]