Thursday, October 25, 2012

Let's Talk Powdered Eggs...!

I am one of those strange folks that actually likes powdered eggs!

I don't know if it's because I ate them while I was in the service or what, but to me they taste just like real eggs...especially if they have lot's of black pepper and some hot sauce sprinkled on liberally!

With a side of bacon or ham, some flour gravy, and fresh biscuits and you have a great meal! I'm certainly not going to turn down a meal like this, that's for sure!

Anyway, I thought you might be interested in just how these eggs are processed, so I wanted to share the information with you. This information is courtesy of Steven Cyros at MREDepot. Good folks that I have dealt with before and have always been very satisfied!


Where did the idea come from, and how are they made today?

Powdered Whole Eggs (some times referred to as Spray-Dried Eggs or Dehydrated Eggs) have actually been around since the 1930's. They were developed by Albert Grant and Co of the Mile End Road - a cake manufacturer who was importing liquid eggs from China at the time. It was actually one of his staff that realized that the eggs were 95% water and therefore expensive to ship from the Orient. They built an experimental freeze drying plant and gave it a try. The end result after much trial and error was that a factory was ultimately set up in Singapore to process Chinese eggs.

As war approached Grant transferred his dried egg facility to Argentina. The patent was lifted by the British government during the war and many other suppliers came into the market, notably in the USA. Powdered eggs were used extensively throughout the Second World War for rationing and were widely used by troops in the field as well as at home during wartime shortages. They are actually still used by many restaurants today - not only in egg dishes, but especially in baking.

Today the process of creating powdered eggs has been simplified and is very cost effective compared to the earlier methods. The eggs are cracked and separated from their shell, then the liquid is pumped through hoses to the top of a large (50 to 70 foot tall) vacuum oven/chamber. Very fine nozzles spray a mist of eggs at the top of the tower, which is heated like an oven to pasteurize the eggs for safety, and the vacuum inside means that by the time the fine droplets of eggs reach the bottom of the chamber, it is in the form of a fine powder with an extremely low moisture content. Viola - Powdered or Spray Dried Whole egg.

The end result is an extremely safe product since it has been pasteurized immediately prior to drying, and the same motivation for their development is still the biggest selling feature - you don't have to pay to ship all of the water weight, and you get an extremely versatile product with a very long shelf life.

Again, thanks to Steven Cyros for the information. Always good to add to the information data bank, don't you think?

Coffee on the patio, weather permitting. A cold front is headed this way, but we should be OK until tomorrow.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hubby ate those powdered eggs while in the US Army during the Vietnam era and hated them, he said he would rather starve than eat those pieces of you know what! He ate well in the US Army assigned to an Air Force base in Germany then off to Vietnam and became a driver for the brass he got to eat like the brass did, he had fondness for Lobster, good steak and all kinds of chicken dishes and shi shi veggies..He got paid to drive the brass around and eat like they did like a King..Came home ok and married me almost 40 years now..I cook well and always figured if one has to eat one can eat well..Happy Halloween, we don't do most holidays as my hubby worked every dadblasted holiday in the grocery business now we rest, travel if we can (weather is inclement most of the year here) and he never ever shops for food at all! I don't mind at all, I work part time and help those with their hunger needs, I love to bake, roast, fry and cook, also desserts...most work and have no food mid month and defintely at the end of the month like now..Greatest country in the whole wide world, but unemployment and food miseries abound I do what I can and my hubby does too..ciao!!!!!!!!!!!

Phyllis (N/W Jersey) said...

I think I'll pass on the powdered eggs, Mr. Hermit. My chickens give me the best tasting eggs in the world! One of my hens named Ethel lays eggs that are so large, they don't even fit in jumbo egg cartons!
I'll bring 'ya a dozen!

Sixbears said...

Sorry, powered eggs aren't going to cut it. I got used to local farm raised.

Of course, if there was nothing else, I'd probably bury thing in enough seasonings to make a boot taste good.

Quixote Kid said...

I don't know if I've ever ate a powdered egg...I think I'll pick some up and give it a try.

Cold front headed through here (central Texas) sometime this afternoon/night.

Anonymous said...

I don't think I've ever tried them either, surely not ones made by me or my family. Some restaurant might have snuck some by me, I didn't notice.

I own a small chicken tractor in back with three biddys supplying eggs year round (few to none when moulting), and fresh taste has definitely spoiled me. I can pretty much eat anything though, I guess I can try powdered eggs just for the experience - where do you find the powder for sale?

linda m said...

I don't think I have ever eaten powdered eggs. The process sounds very interesting and I can see where powdered eggs have their place. Thank you for this piece of information. A cold front is on it's way here also.

JO said...

I don't know if I have ever eaten them either. But like some one else mentioned you don't know about in a restuarant.

No cold front here but can't complain about the weather it has been in the 80s. So I will make sure I get there before your cold front hits.

Anonymous said...

Hey I also acquired a taste for powered eggs in Nam. It was great, no one else liked them so I survived on them. My advice to others is don't knock them till you have tried them. Have a great day!

JMD said...

My husband ate them during his time and the service and got all he could eat from his friends. lol Sometimes it pays to like something that no one else does.

HermitJim said...

Hey Anon 4:13...
It's good that the hubby got to eat with the brass. Makes the time pass quicker when the tummy is filled with goodies!

Powdered eggs are one of those things I keep around for the times I might not have power or fresh. I always try what I store and that's how I came to store powdered eggs!

Good for you, helping the less fortunate! All good things done for others will be repaid ten fold, I believe!

Have a great day and thanks for coming by today!


Hey Phyllis...
I used to raise a few chickens, but here in the city that isn't going to happen!

I prefer fresh, but powdered is not a bad substitute in an emergency!

I'll gladly take the eggs, my friend! Thanks for coming by today!


Hey Sixbears...
Nothing beats fresh, but in a pinch I'd settle for powdered.

After all, enough hot sauce can help just about anything!

Thanks, my friend, for coming over today!


Hey Kid...
Never hurts to have some on hand as a backup!

I sure appreciate you coming over today!


Hey Anon 7:19...
You can find the egg mix at anyone of the places that sell dehydrated or freeze dried foods, such as MRE Depot on Ebay.

Sometimes they have them in the camping section of Wal-Mart and such.

Thanks for coming by today!


Hey Linda...
Like I said, not bad for a backup!

I'm ready for some cooler weather here in Texas! Just cool, not cold!

Thanks for coming over today!


Hey Jo...
You just never know about the restaurants!

I'll save ya a place on the patio! Thanks, sweetie, for coming over this morning!


Hey Anon 10:29...
That's the way I was with S.O.S.! Loved the stuff and I still do!

Learned a lot about food in the service!

Hey, thanks for coming by today!


Hey JMD...
Learning to love what you have is a good way to survive! Certainly worked for me!

I appreciate you coming over today!










Unknown said...

Thanks for the information. I never heard of powdered eggs before. So I read all these information to find out all I want to know. And I'm eager to try this too.

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HermitJim said...

Hey Hanna...
I hope you found out enough to make your visit worthwhile!

Thanks for coming by today!

Flier389 said...

Powdered eggs, hash browns, and some fried spam. With some salsa on the side. And a good cup of joe. Now, that's a meal.
Try taking some powdered eggs and a little dab of milk, and some sourdough bread. And make some French toast. YUM!

HermitJim said...

Hey Flier389...
Sounds like a good meal to me! I do like fried Spam!

Never had french toast made with powdered eggs, but I've thought about it before!

Thanks for coming over today!

Dizzy-Dick said...

I like eggs in any way, shape, form, or color. Green food dye mixed in scrambled eggs allows you to get your fill and not have to fight off other diners.

HermitJim said...

Hey Dizzy...
I seem to remember a book with the title "Green eggs and ham", I think.

Is that where you got the idea? At any rate, I can see where it might keep the other diners away!

Thanks, buddy, for coming by today!