Methods and compositions for reducing the heating time of an egg patty

Abstract

A method for reducing the heating time of an egg patty includes adding an effective amount of a calcium additive to the egg patty, where the calcium additive reduces the microwave heating time required to achieve a target temperature as compared to an egg patty in which the calcium additive is not present.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for reducing the heating time of an egg patty comprising adding an effective amount of a calcium additive to the egg patty, wherein the calcium additive reduces the microwave heating time required to achieve a target temperature as compared to an egg patty in which the calcium additive is not present. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the target temperature is the average temperature of the egg patty. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the average temperature of the egg patty is from about 48° C. to about 88° C. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the average temperature of the egg patty is from about 66° C. to about 71° C. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the average temperature of the egg patty is at least 71° C. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the calcium additive comprises calcium chloride, calcium caseinate, calcium carbonate, calcium citrate, calcium phosphates, calcium lactate, calcium gluconate, calcium lactate gluconate, dehydrated whey, and a fraction or a mixture of any two or more thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the calcium additive is present at about 0.02 wt % to about 0.15 wt %. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the calcium additive comprises calcium chloride. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the calcium chloride comprises anhydrous calcium chloride. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the calcium chloride comprises anhydrous calcium chloride. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the calcium additive comprises dehydrated whey. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heating time required to reach the target temperature is from about 60 seconds to about 120 seconds. 
     
     
         13 . A composition comprising:
 whole eggs, egg whites, egg yolks, a fraction thereof, or a mixture of any two or more thereof; and   a calcium additive;   wherein:
 the composition is an egg patty; and 
 the composition exhibits a reduced microwave heating time required to achieve a target temperature, as compared to an egg patty in which the calcium additive is not present. 
   
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein the composition is a pre-cooked egg patty. 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein calcium additive comprises calcium chloride, calcium caseinate, calcium carbonate, calcium citrate, calcium phosphates, calcium lactate, calcium gluconate, calcium lactate gluconate, or dehydrated whey. 
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein the calcium additive is calcium chloride. 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein the calcium additive is dehydrated whey. 
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein the calcium additive is present from about 0.02 wt % to about 0.15 wt %. 
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein the calcium additive is present at about 0.1 wt %. 
     
     
         20 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein the microwave heating time is from about 60 second to about 75 seconds. 
     
     
         21 . A comestible comprising the composition of  claim 13 , a bread product, and optionally one or more meat products. 
     
     
         22 . The comestible of  claim 21  that is a sandwich of the bread product and the composition.