The viability of short-wave ultraviolet treatment (UV-C) at 254 nm as a non-thermal process for liquid egg products (LEPs) was evaluated from the point of view of the effects on egg quality attributes and the decontamination efficiency. The effects of UV-C on microbial loads were evaluated by kinetic studies on the inactivation of inoculated and naturally occurring microorganisms, and during shelf-life. UV-C treated egg fractions (egg white . LEW, whole egg – LWE and egg yolk LEY) were analyzed for changes in pH, color, effects on lipids (TBARS, cholesterol and peroxide value), effects on proteins (protein oxidation, DSC, SDS-PAGE), rheological properties (dynamic viscosity, flow behavior, temperature-dependent viscosity), functional properties (emulsification and foaming), nutritional composition (vitamins, carotenoids and minerals), and cito-genotoxicology. Sensory acceptability of UV-C treated LEPs and products containing UV-C treated liquid egg (mayonnaise, angel cake and pudding) was evaluated by triangle tests and bys consumer affective tests (hedonic scale).
UV-C treatment proved to be an effective alternative to heat pasteurization. Thus, a decay of 5 Log was reported in inoculated Gram(+) and Gram(-) bacteria in a commercial device UVivatec® for continuous treatments. In batch, the results also showed an important decay on the inoculated microorganisms, although longer exposure times would be necessary to produce decontaminations comparable to heat pasteurizations. UV-C treated LEPs were stable during 8 weeks of storage at 4 ºC (6 weeks for the LEY treated in batch), and also during 15 days at room temperature. 
Contrary to heat treatments, UV-C did not affected viscosity and pH. Browning due to Maillard was perceptible in egg yolk and whole egg at low UV-C doses, but the corresponding browning indexes were always lower than in heat pasteurized egg fractions. 
Major changes were only due to lipid oxidation. TBARS values at the highest UV-C doses were larger than in pasteurized egg yolk and whole egg. Minor changes were observed in proteins. A slight protein oxidation was observed, and no changes in rheological properties were recorded. Improvement on foam ability and foam stability, and an increasing on the emulsifying activity index were also reported. The content of some vitamins, such as vitamin A and C, and carotenoids (lutein and zeaxanthin) were affected by UV-C. But highly positive results were found for cito-/genotoxic studies, where no cito-/genotoxic could be attributed to UV-C treatments.
Overall scores for the evaluated sensory parameters indicated an acceptability of UV-C treated egg fractions and their preparations not significantly different from that of untreated egg and they were perceived as comparable to, or, in some cases, better than the thermally pasteurized eggs. No off-flavors due to UV-C treatments were reported. This study confirms no adverse effects on sensory perception (consumer acceptance) of egg products processed by UV-C, with overall appearance and taste similar to the controls. 
Those findings are valuable to further consider UV-C treatment of eggs as a feasible alternative to heat but indicate that new measures have to be considered to minimise the effects on some nutritional parameters and health-related attributes.