Egg Safety Tips
Eggs are safe when handled properly. Shell eggs are safest when stored in the refrigerator, individually and thoroughly cooked, and promptly consumed. The larger the number of Salmonella present in the egg, the more likely it is to cause illness. Keeping eggs adequately refrigerated prevents any Salmonella present in the eggs from growing to higher numbers, so eggs should be kept refrigerated until they are used.
Cooking reduces the number of bacteria present in an egg; however, an egg with a runny yolk still poses a greater risk than a completely cooked egg. Undercooked egg whites and yolks have been associated with outbreaks of Salmonella Enteritidis infections. Both should be consumed promptly and not be kept warm or at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Egg Safety Tips
- Keep eggs refrigerated at ≤ 45° F (≤7° C) at all times.
- Discard all cracked or dirty eggs.
- Wash hands, cooking utensils, and food preparation surfaces with soap and water after contact with raw eggs.
- Cook eggs until both the white and the yolk are firm.
- Eat eggs promptly after cooking.
- Promptly refrigerate unused or leftover egg-containing foods.
- Do not eat raw eggs.
- Avoid dishes made with raw or undercooked, unpasteurized eggs. Restaurants should use pasteurized eggs in any recipe (such as Hollandaise sauce or Caesar salad dressing) that calls for raw eggs.
- Consumption of raw or undercooked eggs should be avoided, especially by young children, elderly persons, and persons with weakened immune systems or debilitating illness.
About Ron Simon
Ron Simon's groundbreaking work on behalf of victims in several recent national food borne illness outbreaks (Peter Pan peanut butter, Castleberry’s chili, Nestle cookie dough, Peanut Corporation of America Peanut products, and Daniele salami, to name a few) have been featured on NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, and virtually all other major television networks and print media. He has represented over 2000 victims of food-borne outbreaks in the past three years alone.
Food Poisoning News
- Simon & Luke Collects Settlements for Baker Street Pub Salmonella Victims February 19, 2012 Ron Simon
- Jimmy Johns Drops Sprouts From Menus Nationwide in Wake of E. coli Outbreak February 17, 2012 Ron Simon
- Jimmy John’s E. Coli Sprout Outbreak – 12 Victims in 5 States February 16, 2012 Ron Simon
- Campylobacter Outbreak Linked to Raw Milk from Your Family Cow Dairy – 76 Victims in 4 States February 16, 2012 Ron Simon
- Jimmy John’s Clover Sprouts Linked to E. coli Outbreak in 5 States February 15, 2012 Ron Simon