[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 21, Volume 2]
[Revised as of April 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 21CFR160.145]

[Page 490-491]
 
                        TITLE 21--FOOD AND DRUGS
 
CHAPTER I--FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN 
                          SERVICES (CONTINUED)
 
PART 160--EGGS AND EGG PRODUCTS--Table of Contents
 
 Subpart B--Requirements for Specific Standardized Eggs and Egg Products
 
Sec. 160.145  Dried egg whites.

    (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 Sec. 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 
Sec. 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 Sec. 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

[[Page 491]]

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 
Sec. 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 
Association of Official Analytical Chemists International, 481 North 
Frederick Ave., suite 500, Gaithersburg, MD 20877-2504, or may be 
examined at the Office of the Federal Register, 800 North Capitol 
Street, NW., suite 700, Washington, DC.
    (d) When the dried egg whites are prepared from liquid egg whites 
containing any optional ingredients added as whipping aids, as provided 
for in Sec. 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 Sec. 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]