Since consumers can't detect Salmonella contamination, they should treat all raw eggs as if they might be contaminated, taking the same precautions they customarily take with raw chicken, raw meat, and other foods of animal origin. Eggs should be refrigerated both before and after cooking. They should be cooked thoroughly until both the yolk and the white are firm. It is not wise for anyone to eat raw or undercooked eggs. Utensils used to handle raw eggs should be thoroughly cleaned before being used with other foods.
Eggs also provide significant amounts of several vitamins and minerals.
Although eggs contain a significant amount of cholesterol, they need not be excluded from the diet. Most people need not be concerned about eating eggs in moderation. As with all raw foods of animal origin, eggs need to be handled and prepared with care to ensure their safety. Although only a very small proportion of the eggs on the market contain potentially harmful bacteria, consumers should be careful to cook eggs thoroughly and to prevent the cross-contamination of other foods from utensils used to handle raw eggs.