To make safe eggnog, cook or microwave it to 160 F, or until the egg mixture thickens enough to coat a spoon. Refrigerate it at once. When refrigerating a large amount of eggnog, divide it into several shallow containers so that it will cool quickly. Do not fold raw beaten egg whites into a cooked mixture. It hasn't been proven that raw egg whites are free of salmonella bacteria.
Commercial eggnog is prepared with pasteurized eggs and requires no cooking.
Eggnog made with egg substitutes is also safe since these frozen commercial products have been pasteurized. Adapted from an article written by Cici Williamson and Pat Moriarty for USDA Food News for Consumers, Dec. 1991. As the holidays approach we will make lists of things to do, things to buy. We'll start a grocery list for family feasts. We will try to remember all the time management tips we've learned over the years.