Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-28
CLEAR, CRISP AND CLEAN
POWDERED EGGS

q recent communication to the gov
- ernment says that great interest is
being exhibited among German chem
lists charged with the investigation OF
food materials over the success which
has attended efforts to preserve eggs
by desiccation. The process, he says
was invented by chemist of Victoria,
Australia. The results obtained have
been so satisfactory that the Farmers
and Settlers Cooperative society OF
Sydney has erected an extensive plant
for the manufacture, on large scale
of "egg powder"
The process is as simple one In
principle as that of preserving fruit by
sealing it hermetically at boiling
temperature or of pasteurizing milk
Eggs, freed from the shells, are dried
at the relatively low temperature OF
13O degrees Fahrenheit. The opera
tion can be rapidly executed in con-
tainers kept at this temperature, from
which the air has been exhausted, and
from which likewise the aqueous vapor
is withdrawn as fast as given off by
evaporation from the eggs. The ad-
vantage of this method consists in the
fact that there is no alteration in the
chemical composition of the eggs.
There is simply a loss of the greater
part of the water held mechanically In
combination, as when fruit is dried By
free exposure to the air and sun or by
more rapid artificial methods. When
thoroughly desiccated and brought by
pulverization into the state of coarse
powder the egg material can be pre-
served for an indefinite period in ordin-
ary packages. if kept in dry place.
The eggs are reconstructed" by the
simple addition of water to the dry
powder, the resultant mass being quite
indistinguishable from newly beaten
IN eggs. Before the method was
accepted as a basis for industria
exploitation it was submitted to exhaus-
tive critical tests by the Victorian
department of agriculture, which dem
onstrated that purity, ease of diges-
tion, flavor, ETC., were entirely unaf'
fected by the operation of desic'
cation, preservation for long perioe
and reconstruction by the addition
OF water, provided that fresh eggs wer'
employed at the outset. This --latest
novelty in the processes of insuring the
inexpensive and heaIthful preservation
of staple articles Of popular diet form!
a welcome addition to those already sc
highly valued, such as the freezing oi
fresh meat. the evaporation Of fruits
and the desiccation of milk.
From the economic standpoint it i;
evident that the cost of eggs as ar
article of food will be notably reduced
when large tracts in remote regions are
utilized for the purpose of poultry rails
ing. An important factor would be the
low cost OF freight for a compact pow
dered material as contrasted with the
expense Of transporting eggs in the
natural fragile condition, containing
"A per cent of water and involving muci
waste space in packing. Equally i'm.
portant would be the certainty of secur-
ing egg meal guaranteed as prepared
from absolutely fresh material. The
simplicity Of preservation and the ease
with which variety Of savory dishes
can be expedltiously prepared from eggs
enhance the value of such food prep.
aration not only for the ordinary house
hold, but also for the emergencies oi
travel