Regular eggs are a staple in many people’s daily diets. They are an iconic breakfast item and are used in baked goods. Most people would agree that fresh eggs taste the best (and are the best for you), but they have a relatively short shelf life. Their prices have become unpredictable, and there may come a time when you just don’t have access to them.
So what’s a prepper to do?
The best solution would be to raise your own chickens, although many of us can’t do that in our current situation. So, the next best thing to having fresh eggs is having powdered eggs.
In this article, I will be covering everything you need to know about powdered eggs, including:
- What’s in powdered eggs and methods to make them.
- How to store powdered eggs, and how long you can expect them to last
- Where to buy powdered eggs
What Are Powdered Eggs?
Powdered eggs are regular eggs that have gone through a process to remove as much moisture as possible. Militaries began to use powdered eggs during the last world wars due to their advantages.
This process drastically reduces the weight of the eggs. Other advantages of powdered eggs over fresh include increased shelf life, and – unlike whole eggs – powdered eggs do not require refrigeration.
Three different types of powdered eggs include:
- Whole powdered eggs (whole egg powder)
- Powdered egg whites (egg white powder or dried egg yolk whites)
- Powdered egg yolks
Here are a couple of different ways that powdered eggs are made:
1. Dehydrated Eggs
Dehydrated eggs are simple to make, and you can easily make your own powdered eggs at home.
Place the number of whole eggs you want to dehydrate into a bowl and thoroughly mix. The liquid egg can now be placed into a dehydrator where it will dry out using a low heat temperature over many hours.
After most of the moisture has been removed, the result will be a layer of dried eggs that can be further processed and dried.
2. Freeze Drying
Dehydration uses heat, low as it may be, to drive moisture out of food.
Freeze drying is similar, but it uses freezing temperatures and lower pressures. This process turns the moisture into ice and that ice is removed through a process known as sublimation.
Sublimation is simply the process of a substance going from a solid to a gas without having to become a liquid.
Spray Drying
Spray drying is a manufacturing method that takes a liquid and turns it into a powder by using hot air or another type of gas to rapidly dry the solution.
Basically, the liquid solution is sprayed through nozzles into a chamber where the hot gas turns it into dry ingredients, and the solids are then collected. This is the same method used to make powdered milk.
Using Powdered Eggs Over Fresh Eggs
At this point, you may be wondering, “What can I use powdered eggs for?”
Interestingly, you can get powdered egg mix in a few different forms. It comes in powdered egg whites, whole egg powder, and powdered yolks.
As long as you aren’t desiring eggs that are over easy or sunny side up, you can pretty much use egg powder to make anything you would with mixed eggs, such as:
Powdered Eggs Shelf Life
One of the benefits of powdered eggs is that they do not require any refrigeration. For example, a dozen fresh eggs (unwashed) may last a few weeks without refrigeration, and a month or more with refrigeration.
Unopened containers of powdered eggs that are properly stored can have a shelf life of up to ten years, depending on the manufacturer. As you can see, dried eggs have a storage life much higher than fresh eggs.
Even though powdered eggs do not require refrigeration, their shelf life can be increased by storing them in cold temperatures.
Storing Powdered Eggs
Like most long-term food preservation items, a container of powdered eggs should have an airtight seal, and be put into a food storage space that is dry, cool, and out of direct sunlight.
Walmart Options for Powdered Eggs
You can purchase powdered eggs from a variety of locations but surprisingly one of the biggest big box stores around, Walmart, has a decent selection. Remember, when you buy powdered eggs you can find them as dried egg whites or powdered egg whites, dried egg yolks, and dried whole eggs.
The product that I would recommend from this retailer, just because I have tried them the most, is the scrambled eggs by Mountain House. This is a relatively affordable freeze-dried option that comes in a sealed mylar pouch. All you have to do to reconstitute this container of powdered eggs is add some warm water.
FAQs
Do powdered eggs and powdered milk go bad or expire?
Powdered eggs and any other dehydrated product, like powdered milk, do have expiration dates – although they are measured in years. Once opened and exposed to air, powdered eggs go from lasting years to months, depending on how they are stored.
How can you tell if powdered eggs have gone bad?
Ways to tell if your powdered egg mix is no longer good include a bad smell, a change of texture, and if the eggs have become discolored.
Are powdered eggs good for you?
Powdered eggs are almost as nutritious as fresh eggs. The only difference is that, due to the process of making them, some vitamin levels may be decreased.
Do powdered eggs taste good?
It depends on the person. Some people think they taste awful, but I have eaten them on several occasions, and they taste just like scrambled eggs made from fresh eggs.
How many powdered eggs equals one egg?
About one full tablespoon of powdered eggs is the equivalent of one regular egg each.
Why do people use powdered eggs?
There are several advantages to powered eggs that include increased shelf life and decreased weight and volume. This means you can purchase eggs in bulk in their powdered form but they will require much less storage space, providing you with a high-protein preserved food option.
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeze_drying
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spray_drying
