The National Egg Products School (NEPS), originally scheduled for September 15-17, 2020, at the University of Georgia, in Athens, has been postponed out of caution, due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak and the need for responsible social distancing. The NEPS Executive Board announced the postponement and said the event will be rescheduled to a yet to be determined date in 2021.

“The health and welfare of the participants, as well as the residents of the local community and university hosting the program are our highest priority at this time,” said Elisa Maloberti, director of egg product marketing for the American Egg Board. “Considering the hands-on nature of the instruction at the egg products school, and the fact that the country continues to battle a pandemic, the best decision is postponement.”

The biennial, four-day program, jointly conducted and sponsored by the University of Georgia, Department of Poultry Science and the American Egg Board offers its attendees in-depth farm to fork review of eggs and egg products. It includes hands-on sessions to explore the innate functionality of eggs. The course material covers eggs from their initial formation all the way through to packaging for industrial use. Through the years, this program has served hundreds of participants involved in the egg industry, egg processing, allied industries and foodservice (including bakers, food formulators and chefs.)

Online eggucation

For those interested in learning more about using eggs in food preparation and egg science, there is a virtual option. The American Egg Board in collaboration with Rouxbe Global Food Group, an online culinary school, created the video-based EggPro™ curriculum – a professional development program with two e-learning modules, Egg Functionality and Egg Foundations. The former was specifically designed for food scientists and culinogists and is focused on egg functionality and the science behind it. The latter is meant for foodservice professionals and covers egg nutrition, safety and basic cooking techniques. Upon completion of both modules, students receive 30 continuing education credits. In support of the food industry during these challenging times, the AEB is waiving tuition for the EggPro™ curriculum through the end of this year. In 2021 and beyond, tuition fees will be put toward course administration and scholarships. Complete course details and enrollment information can be found at rouxbe.com/eggpro.

As a reminder, there is a wealth of information available on the American Egg Board website related to many of the topics covered during the egg products school, including details related to egg processing, regulations, safe handling and storage and usage. That information can be found at www.aeb.org. The latest updates related to egg nutrition research can be found at www.eggnutritioncenter.org.