Salmonella and Eggs

Salmonella and Eggs

What You Need to Know

  • Chickens and other live poultry can carry Salmonella bacteria.
  • These germs can spread from the birds to their eggs. If you eat raw or undercooked eggs, you can get sick.
  • Always handle and cook eggs properly to prevent illness.

Eggs are one of nature’s most nutritious foods. But eggs can make you sick if you do not handle and cook them properly. That’s because eggs can be contaminated with Salmonella bacteria.

You can’t tell if an egg has salmonella just by looking at it. The bacteria can be present inside an egg as well as on the shell. Cooking food thoroughly can kill salmonella. Be aware that runny, poached, or soft eggs aren’t fully cooked — even if they are delicious.

How do eggs get Salmonella on them?

Salmonella can get on the shells of eggs. This can happen when birds lay the eggs and when eggs touch bird droppings (poop) after being laid. Touching eggs from the grocery store is not a major cause of illness because those eggs are washed before they reach stores.

Salmonella can get inside eggs too. This happens while the egg is forming inside the chicken before the egg makes a shell. Today, a lot fewer egg-laying hens have this problem than during the 1980s and 1990s, so eggs are safer. But some eggs are still contaminated with Salmonella.

How to avoid salmonella

Salmonella is a type of naturally occurring bacteria present in many animals, including chickens.

You can’t tell if an egg has salmonella just by looking at it. The bacteria can be present inside an egg as well as on the shell.

Cooking food thoroughly can kill salmonella. Be aware that runny, poached, or soft eggs aren’t fully cooked — even if they are delicious.

How can I reduce the chance of getting sick from eggs?

  • Buy eggs from stores and suppliers that keep eggs refrigerated.
  • Keep your eggs refrigerated at 40°F or colder.
  • Discard cracked eggs.
  • Cook eggs until both the yolk and white are firm.
  • Cook egg dishes (frittata, quiche, casserole) to a safe internal temperature.
    • Cook egg dishes that contain meat or poultry to 165°F.
    • Cook egg dishes that do not contain meat or poultry to 160°F.
  • Consider using pasteurized*eggs and egg products.
  • Use pasteurized eggs to make foods that contain raw or lightly cooked eggs, such as hollandaise sauce, Caesar salad dressing, and tiramisu.
  • Eat or refrigerate eggs and foods containing eggs promptly after cooking. Refrigerate them within 2 hours, or 1 hour if the eggs are exposed to temperatures above 90°F (like a hot car or picnic).
  • Use soap and water to wash hands and items that come into contact with raw eggs. These items include countertops, utensils, dishes, and cutting boards.
  • Do not taste or eat raw dough or batter made with raw eggs, such as cookie dough or cake batter.

*Pasteurized eggs have been heated to a high enough temperature for a long enough time to kill Salmonella.

Salmonella illness can be serious and is more dangerous for some groups of people.

Most people who get sick from Salmonella have diarrhea, fever, vomiting, and stomach cramps. Symptoms usually begin 6 hours to 6 days after infection and last 4 to 7 days.

Most people recover without antibiotic treatment. Antibiotics are needed only for patients who are very ill or at risk of becoming very ill. People who have diarrhea should drink extra fluids.

Rarely, Salmonella can spread to the bloodstream and cause a life-threatening infection.

Some groups of people are more likely to get infected and get seriously ill. These groups include children younger than 5 years, adults 65 years and older, and people who have a weakened immune system because of a health problem or medicine that lowers the body’s ability to fight germs and sickness.

When should I call the doctor?

Call your doctor if you have:

  • Diarrhea that doesn’t improve after 3 days
  • Vomiting that lasts more than 2 days
  • Signs of dehydration, including little or no urination, excessive thirst, a very dry mouth, dizziness or lightheadedness, or very dark urine
  • Fever higher than 102°F (39°C)
  • Bloody stools (poop)

Call your child’s doctor if your child has:

  • Diarrhea that doesn’t improve after 1 day
  • Vomiting that lasts more than
    • 12 hours for infants,
    • 1 day for children younger than 2 years, or
    • 2 days for other children
  • Signs of dehydration, including not urinating in 3 or more hours, dry mouth or tongue, or crying without tears
  • Fever higher than 102°F (39°C)
  • Bloody stools

About Foodborne Illness

Know the Symptoms

Consuming dangerous foodborne bacteria will usually cause illness within 1 to 3 days of eating the contaminated food. However, sickness can also occur within 20 minutes or up to 6 weeks later. Although most people will recover from a foodborne illness within a short period of time, some can develop chronic, severe, or even life-threatening health problems. Foodborne illness can sometimes be confused with other illnesses that have similar symptoms. The symptoms of foodborne illness can include:

  • Vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain
  • Flu-like symptoms, such as fever, headache, and body ache

About US

WHO WE ARE

Safety Centre Food Safety Division, we provide the best food safety and quality consulting, auditing and training services. A full-service, international food safety consulting leader, we help organizations manage food safety related risks, exceed regulatory and certification requirements—while protecting your brand. We offer affordable turnkey and customized food safety solutions for organizations of all sizes.
We have in-depth experience in regulatory policies, certification audit requirements, food security and defense, Standards Assessments, and food safety consulting and training. We have completed food safety projects for several clients. Over the years we have become known as the “hands-on pragmatists.”

Visit us: www.foodsafety.org.ng www.safetycentre.ng

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