Is adding a hot sugar syrup (boiled to 257 F) to egg mixture enough to kill salmonella and other bacteria?

KKool
  • Posted by: KKool
  • September 17, 2012
  • 13675 views
  • 7 Comments

7 Comments

Eaton September 21, 2012
Salmonela is eliminated at 170, but if you use pasturized eggs, you don't need to worry about it at all!
 
ChefOno September 21, 2012

Pasteurization only takes about 7 seconds at 160F -- the question is, how are you going to get the eggs up to that temperature? The most reliable method is over a water bath (aka double boiler).


 
ChefOno September 18, 2012

If I remember my thermodynamics correctly, the above works out to 185F and, for comparison purposes, a classic buttercream from Joy came out to 187F. But those calculations don't take into account inefficiencies due to heat loss from streaming the syrup into the egg mixture and via the mixing bowl, the mass and thermal conductivity of which are likely significant.

Mental gymnastics are fun but salmonella isn't. My guess is, real world, the mixture would not be pasteurized. That's backed up by Joy now recommending cooking buttercreams to 160F before beating in the butter.

 
QueenSashy September 18, 2012
ChefOno you never cease to impress me.
 
Peterc September 18, 2012
Consider a ratio for Italian meringue, 8oz of egg whites to 16oz of cooked sugar that is cooked to soft ball / 245f.
 

Voted the Best Reply!

ChefOno September 18, 2012

Not necessarily. It would depend on the mass of the egg mixture and the mass of the syrup. A tiny bit of hot syrup won't bring a large amount of egg mixture up to the pasteurization point. Use a digital thermometer to be certain.

 
HalfPint September 17, 2012
Yes, because most those bacteria are killed at 160F. So hot sugar syrup at 257F is hot enough.
 
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