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Making Your Eggs
Safe
Fear of salmonella, the food-borne bacteria responsible for
gastrointestinal tract infection, shouldn't stop you from enjoying your
incredibly edible eggs. Common sense and proper handling are your best
tools for prevention. For healthy adults, the risk of contracting
Salmonellosis or other salmonella-related food poisoning is very low.
According to the American Egg Board, your chances of cracking open an
infected egg is about 0.005% (five one ~ thousandths of a percent).
Scientists conservatively estimate that only one out of every 20,000
eggs produced might contain the salmonella bacteria.
Even if an egg does contain the bacteria, the amount in a freshly laid
egg probably will be small and, if the egg is properly refrigerated and
handled, will not multiply enough to cause illness in a healthy person.
However, children, pregnant women, the elderly, and anyone with an
immune system disorder should take special care to avoid the risk of
salmonella food poisoning.
Chill Out: Egg Storage
Shop at a reputable grocery store. Choose Grade-A or AA eggs with clean,
uncracked shells. Buy only eggs that have been kept refrigerated, never
those sitting out at room temperature. Any bacteria present in eggs can
grow rapidly outside refrigeration. If the egg carton has a date printed
on it, make sure it hasn't passed.
KEEP EGGS REFRIGERATED. Get eggs into a 40-degree F refrigerator
as soon as possible after purchasing. Leave eggs in their original
carton in a colder section of the refrigerator, not in the door. Do not
wash eggs prior to storage because that will remove the protective
coating applied at the packaging plant
Fresh shell eggs can be kept safely in the refrigerator three to five
weeks from the date of purchase, not from the date on the carton.
Handle with Care
As with any food preparation, make sure to wash hands, utensils,
equipment, and work surfaces with hot soapy water before and after they
come in contact with eggs and raw egg-rich foods. Minimize preparation
and serving time-don't allow eggs to remain out of the refrigerator for
more than two hours (not counting cooking time).
Serve cooked egg dishes immediately after cooking, or refrigerate at
once for serving later. Use within three to four days, or freeze for
longer storage.
Talk to the Experts
Salmonella has been more prevalent in some areas than others. Check with
your local health department for information about your region. For more
information about egg safety, check out the American Egg Board's Web
page at
URL: http://www.enc-online.org/fslinks.htm
Our Favorite Egg Desserts
Pies: Some recipes such as chiffon pies and fruit whips are made with
raw beaten egg whites. There is a slight risk of salmonella even in egg
whites, so these cannot be guaranteed safe. You can substitute whipped
cream or use pasteurized dried egg whites, available in cake decorating
departments. Another option is to adapt the recipe by using the Swiss
meringue method: place the egg whites with at least 1/2 of the sugar
called for in the recipe in a large bowl. Whisk a couple times. Place
the bowl in a saucepan over (not in) barely simmering water. Beat the
egg whites for 3 1/2minutes (using a hand-held mixer or large whisk).
They should be hot to the touch. Remove the bowl from the simmering
water. With the mixer at medium speed, continue to beat until the egg
whites cool to room temperature and increase slightly in volume, usually
about 5 minutes or less. Do not over beat. Fold the meringue into the
other ingredients as directed in the recipe.
To make key lime pie safely, heat the lime juice with the raw egg yolks
in a pan on the stove, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches
160 degrees F. Then combine it with the sweetened condensed milk and
pour filling into baked pie crust. Top with meringue. Bake all
meringue-topped pies at 350 F for at least 15 minutes.
Simmer small poached meringues in liquid five minutes or until firm. Dry
meringue shells are safe, as is divinity candy.
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