Fighting Salmonella in eggs

Rationale: Salmonella is a bacteria leading cause of foodborne illness in the EU: 91857cases, 16556 hospitalizations and 119 deaths in 2018. Raw or undercooked eggs and egg-containing foods are recognized as the most important source of salmonellosis outbreaks. (EFSA & ECDC, 2019).

Published 11.04.20 by Florin Nicolau

SafeConsume advice:

To be safe:

Salmonella is destroyed during heating. Eggs properly cooked will be safe;

Use eggs that are Salmonella-free for dishes that are not thoroughly cooked.

To reduce risk:

For those who prefer runny eggs, or dishes with raw eggs, the risk can be reduced using clean eggs stored in the refrigerator (4 ºC or below). The eggs have to be placed in the fridge immediately after laying to prevent that Salmonella starts growing;

If stored at room temperature, use clean fresh eggs (no longer than two days after laying). After this period eggs will have to be pasteurized.

EFSA and ECDC (European Food Safety Authority and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control). (2019). Scientific report on the European Union One Health 2018 Zoonoses Report. EFSA Journal 2019;17(12):5926, 276 pp. https://doi.org/10. 2903/j.efsa.2019.5926.

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