Process to prepare a premium formulated fried egg

Abstract

The present invention relates to the formulation and process for preparation of a fried egg product which may be frozen for future heating within a microwave or other oven for consumption by an individual. Various ingredients are added and mixed to each of the liquid egg white and liquid yolk portions. The liquid egg white portion is preheated and then deposited within a mold for slow cooking under controlled temperature and humidity conditions. The liquid yolk portion is preheated and then is added to the mold for placement on the egg white portion. Following a short period of cooking the mold containing the formulated fried eggs is transported to a freezer unit for freezing, packaging, and storage. At a future time the frozen formulated fried egg product may be retrieved for thawing and cooking for consumption by an individual.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A process for making a formulated fried egg, the process comprising:
 a) forming an egg white portion comprising egg whites which form between 81% and 99% about 95% by weight of the egg white portion, oil which forms between 2% and 10% by weight of the egg white portion, and salt which forms between 0.35% and 0.8% by weight of the egg white portion; 
 b) forming an egg yolk portion comprising egg yolk, which forms between 50% and 99.9% by weight of the egg yolk portion and gum, which forms between 0.1% and 0.5% by weight of the egg yolk portion; 
 c) preheating the egg white portion separately from the egg yolk portion; 
 d) depositing a desired amount of the egg white portion into a mold; 
 e) depositing a desired amount of the egg yolk portion into the mold; 
 f) cooking the desired egg yolk amount and desired egg white amount in the mold; 
 g) removing the cooked egg yolk portion and egg white portion from the mold; and 
 h) cooling the cooked and removed egg yolk portion and egg white portion. 
 
     
     
       2. The process of  claim 1 , wherein depositing the egg yolk portion is performed after depositing the egg white portion. 
     
     
       3. The process of  claim 1 , in which the egg yolk portion and egg white portion depositing is performed using a depositor and in which the mold is positioned beneath the depositor prior to the egg yolk portion and the egg white portion being deposited. 
     
     
       4. The process of  claim 1 , further comprising pre-heating the egg yolk portion prior to depositing the egg yolk portion. 
     
     
       5. The process of  claim 1 , the egg white portion further comprising modified food starch, the modified food starch forming between 1% and 3% by weight of the egg white portion. 
     
     
       6. The process of  claim 5 , the egg yolk portion further comprising citric acid, the citric acid forming between 0.01% and 0.2% constituting up to 0.15% by weight of the egg yolk portion. 
     
     
       7. The process of  claim 6 , in which the egg white portion forms approximately 50% by weight of the formulated fried egg. 
     
     
       8. The process of  claim 6 , in which the egg white portion further comprises gum, the gum forming between 0.01% and constituting up to 0.4% by weight of the egg white portion. 
     
     
       9. The process of  claim 6 , in which the egg yolk portion further comprises salt, the salt forming between 0.01% and 0.5% constituting up to 0.4% by weight of the egg yolk portion. 
     
     
       10. The process of  claim 1 , further comprising degassing the egg white portion sometime prior to the depositing of the egg white portion. 
     
     
       11. The process of  claim 10 , in which the degassing includes subjecting the egg white portion to a vacuum.