Eggs can be part of a healthy diet. However, they are perishable just like raw meat, poultry,

and fish. To be safe, they must be properly refrigerated and cooked.

The Importance of Egg Safety

Unbroken fresh shell eggs may contain

certain bacteria that can cause foodborne

illness. The bacteria are Salmonella

Enteritidis (SE). While the number of eggs

affected is quite small, there have been

some scattered outbreaks. Currently the

government, the egg industry, and the

scientific community are working together to

solve the problem.

What Part Carries Bacteria?

Researchers say that if present, the SE are

usually in the yolk or "yellow." But they can't

rule out the bacteria being in egg whites. So

everyone is advised against eating raw or

undercooked egg yolks, whites, or products

containing them.

Who Should Be Extra Careful?

People with health problems, the very

young, senior citizens, and pregnant women

(the risk is to the unborn child) are

particularly vulnerable to SE infections. A

chronic illness weakens the immune

system, making the person vulnerable to

foodborne illnesses.

Taking Steps at Home

Proper refrigeration, cooking, and handling

should prevent most egg safety problems.

Persons can enjoy eggs and dishes

containing eggs if these safe handling

guidelines are followed.

1. Don't Eat Raw Eggs

This includes "health-food" milk shakes with

raw eggs, Caesar salad, Hollandaise sauce,

and any other foods like homemade

mayonnaise, ice cream, or eggnog made

from recipes in which the raw egg

ingredients are not cooked.

2. Buy Clean Eggs

At the store, choose Grade A or AA eggs

with clean, uncracked shells. Make sure

they've been refrigerated in the store. Any

bacteria present in an egg can multiply

quickly at room temperature.

Don't wash eggs. At the plant, government

regulations require that USDA-graded eggs

be carefully washed and sanitized using

special detergent. Then the eggs are coated

with a tasteless, natural mineral oil to

protect them.

Information for Consumers April 2001

Food Safety

and Inspection

Service

Egg and Egg Product Safety
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3. Refrigerate Eggs

Take eggs straight home and store them

immediately in the refrigerator set at 40 °F

or slightly below. Store them in the grocery

carton in the coldest part of the refrigerator

and not in the door.

4. Use Eggs Within Recommended

Times

Use raw shell eggs within 3 to 5 weeks.

Hard-cooked eggs will keep refrigerated for

1 week. Use leftover yolks and whites within

4 days.

If eggs crack on the way home from the

store, break them into a clean container,

cover it tightly, and keep refrigerated for use

within 2 days.

5. Freeze Eggs for Longer Storage

Eggs should not be frozen in their shells. To

freeze whole eggs, beat yolks and whites

together. Egg whites can be frozen by

themselves. Use frozen eggs within a year.

If eggs freeze accidentally in their shells,

keep them frozen until needed. Defrost

them in the refrigerator. Discard any with

cracked shells.

6. Handle Eggs Safely

Wash hands, utensils, equipment, and work

areas with warm, soapy water before and

after contact with eggs and dishes

containing eggs.

Don't keep eggs -- including Easter eggs --

out of the refrigerator more than 2 hours.

Serve cooked eggs and dishes containing

eggs immediately after cooking, or place in

shallow containers for quick cooling and

refrigerate at once for later use. Use within

3 to 4 days.

7. Cook Eggs

Many cooking methods can be used to cook

eggs safely including poaching, hard

cooking, scrambling, frying, and baking.

However, eggs must be cooked thoroughly

until yolks are firm. Scrambled eggs should

not be runny. Casseroles and other dishes

containing eggs should be cooked to

160 °F as measured with a food

thermometer.

8. Use Safe Egg Recipes

Egg mixtures are safe if they reach 160 °F,

so homemade ice cream and eggnog can

be made safely from a cooked base. Heat

the egg-milk mixture gently. Use a food

thermometer to check the temperature or

use a metal spoon (the mixture should coat

the spoon). If in-shell pasteurized eggs are

available, they can be used safely in recipes

that won’t be cooked.

Dry meringue shells are safe. So are divinity

candy and 7-minute frosting, made by

combining hot sugar syrup with beaten egg

whites.

Meringue-topped pies should be safe if

baked at 350 °F for about 15 minutes.

Chiffon pies and fruit whips made with raw,

beaten egg whites cannot be guaranteed

safe. Substitute whipped cream or whipped

topping.

To make key lime pie safely, heat the lime

(or lemon) juice with the raw egg yolks in a

pan on the stove, stirring constantly, until

the mixture reaches 160 °F. Then combine

it with the sweetened condensed milk and

pour it into a baked pie crust.
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Cook egg dishes such as quiche and

casseroles to 160 °F as measured with a

food thermometer.

Egg Product Safety

The term "egg products" refers to eggs that

have been removed from their shells for

processing. Basic egg products include

whole eggs, whites, yolks, and various

blends, with or without non-egg ingredients,

that are processed and pasteurized. They

may be available in liquid, frozen, and dried

forms.

Are Egg Products Pasteurized?

Yes. The 1970 Egg Products Inspection Act

requires that all egg products distributed for

consumption be pasteurized. They are

rapidly heated and held at a minimum

required temperature for a specified time.

This destroys Salmonella but it does not

cook the eggs or affect their color, flavor,

nutritional value, or use. Dried whites are

pasteurized by heating in the dried form.

Can Egg Products Be Used in Uncooked

Foods?

Egg products can be used in baking or

cooking (scrambled eggs, for example).

They have been pasteurized, but are best

used in a cooked product. Consumers

should be sure that the internal temperature

of the cooked dish reaches 160 °F. Egg

products can be substituted in recipes

typically made with raw eggs that won't be

cooked to 160 °F, such as Caesar salad

and homemade mayonnaise. Although

pasteurized, for optimal safety, it is best to

start with a cooked base, especially if

serving high-risk persons: people with

health problems, the very young, the

elderly, and pregnant women.

What Are Some Buying Tips?

• Containers should be tightly sealed.

• Frozen products should show no sign of

thawing.

• Purchase refrigerated products kept at

40 °F or below.

• Avoid hardened dried egg products.

Storage Times for Egg Products

• Frozen egg products - 1 year

• If the container for liquid products bears

a "Use-By" date, observe it.

• For liquid products without an expiration

date, store unopened cartons at 40 °F or

below for up to 7 days (not over 3 days

after opening).

• Don't freeze opened cartons or refreeze

frozen cartons that have been thawed.

• Unopened dried egg products can be

stored at room temperature as long as

they are kept cool and dry. After

opening, keep refrigerated.

• Use reconstituted products immediately

or refrigerate and use that day.

Other Egg-type Items

Certain egg-type items are not presently

considered egg products. These items,

which are under the Food and Drug

Administration (FDA) jurisdiction, include

freeze-dried products, imitation egg

products, and egg substitutes. Inspected,

pasteurized egg products are used to make

these items.

No-cholesterol egg substitutes consist of

egg whites, artificial color, and other nonegg additives. Direct questions about egg

substitutes to the manufacturer or to the

FDA.
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USDA Dried Egg Mix

USDA dried egg mix is a dried blend of

whole eggs, nonfat dry milk, soybean oil,

and a small amount of salt. (This is a

government commodity product, not usually

available commercially.) To reconstitute,

blend 1/4 cup with 1/4 cup water to make

one "egg." The reconstituted mix requires

cooking.

• Store USDA Dried Egg Mix below 50 °F,

preferably refrigerated. After opening,

use within 7 to 10 days.

• Use reconstituted egg mix immediately

or refrigerate; use within 1 hour.

For further information, contact:

USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline:

1-800-535-4555 (Toll-free Nationwide)

1-800-256-7072 (TTY)

FSIS Web site: www.fsis.usda.gov

FDA Food Information Line:

1-888-SAFEFOOD (Toll-free Nationwide)