How must liquid eggs be processed?

Liquid eggs must be processed through pasteurization to ensure they are safe for consumption. Pasteurization is a heat treatment process that significantly reduces the risk of foodborne pathogens, such as Salmonella, which can be present in raw eggs. By heating the liquid eggs to a specific temperature for a designated period, the harmful bacteria are effectively eliminated without cooking the eggs, which maintains their functional properties in cooking and baking.

Other processing options, such as chilling or freezing, do not achieve the same level of safety concerning pathogen control. While raw eggs can be used in certain recipes, they carry a risk of foodborne illness and are generally not recommended for raw consumption. The freezing process does preserve the eggs for longer storage, but it is not a method designed to eliminate bacteria like pasteurization does. Thus, pasteurization ensures that liquid eggs are safe while preserving their quality for various culinary uses.