Bettcher Industries' Pollux on-premises egg pasteurizer machine first gained traction in Europe during its debut eight years ago. It was released in the United States in 2007, but it failed to gain the same attention — until now. With more than half a billion shell eggs recalled last month as a result of a salmonella outbreak, the on-site egg pasteurizer may just be the new hot item. In addition, we've seen sunny-side-up and poached eggs become a major food trend in the past year or so, appearing on menus as burger and pizza toppers and the main ingredient in eggs Benedict and Lyonnaise salads. And a growing number of chefs now make their own mayonnaise and dressings, as well as other appetizers, entrees and even mousse desserts that call for raw or partially cooked eggs.

Both raw and partially cooked eggs bring with them an added level of danger when it comes to food safety, something the nation saw when several farms admitted to salmonella poisoning among their chickens as a source of the egg recalls. Available in a 60-egg model and a larger 360-egg version, the Pollux features a unique point-of-use pasteurization system capable of eliminating salmonella and avian flu in shell eggs at

a rate that's more effective, Bettcher claims, than current FDA requirements. Aside from pasteurizing, the units can also cook eggs to soft, medium, hard and Asian-style doneness. Both models then store the eggs at the correct consumption temperature for up to five hours without further coagulation or yolk discoloring.