Eggs and egg products

A relatively simple product by nature, the egg has given rise to an industry that has gradually organized itself to meet consumer demand for shell eggs produced using farming practices that are more respectful of animal welfare, on the one hand, and to meet the demands of the food industry and the catering sector, on the other.

The industry can be divided into four levels:

• production of shell eggs for sale to consumers (grade A eggs);

• production of intermediate egg products for the food industry;

• production of ready-to-use egg products for the catering industry;

• production of egg white and yolk fractions for the food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries.

This process sheet details the various operations involved in this sector, the main ones being sorting/calibration, breaking, pasteurization and post-treatment operations: refrigeration, freezing, dehydration, concentration. As regards the manufacture of ready-to-use products, this mainly concerns cooking techniques, shaping and packaging. The article also contains a brief description of the diversity of egg products and a presentation of their economic environment.