When people think of where Salmonella often resides, many immediately think of raw meats, specifically chicken. Although this is true, it can also be consumed through raw dairy products, vegetables, and even fruits! One unlikely product that people don’t often think of is eggs. Poultry, such as chickens, can carry Salmonella, and this bacteria can then be passed on to the eggs they lay.
According to the CDC the contamination occurs when Salmonella gets “on the shells of eggs when birds lay eggs or when the eggs touch bird droppings (poop) after being laid.” This especially becomes a concern when someone is collecting their own eggs directly from their backyard poultry. This can be easily solved if you resolve to buy eggs from grocery stores, as the eggs are washed before being sent to the shelves of your local grocery. But if your eggs are already contaminated after you’ve purchased them, how can illness be prevented?
Note: In rare instances, it is possible for salmonella to reside inside the egg. According to foodsafety.gov, “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.”
When purchasing your eggs, it is essential to avoid broken or cracked eggs, and only buy them if they appear undisturbed and clean. Also, once your eggs are purchased, they must be stored properly. This means that as soon as possible they need to be refrigerated (at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder) because if they are stored at normal room temperatures, they are the perfect breeding ground for existing, or new, bacteria.
The risk is reduced whenever consumers purchase pasteurized eggs. Pasteurized eggs, according to the CDC, go through a process in which they are subjected to high temperatures for long enough periods of time in order to eliminate any of the potential bacteria present. This drastically reduces the chance of illness, as this procedure is quite similar to the process of cooking them properly at home.
Another important fact about eggs is that it is important to avoid consuming products that contain uncooked eggs, such as raw cookie dough or batter. Although it is quite enjoyable to grab a “little piece” of cookie dough out of the fridge in order to curb your sweet craving, this can actually be quite dangerous, as the egg hasn’t been wiped of its potential bacteria yet. Furthermore, when you are dealing with raw eggs, it is vital that you sanitize all utensils and countertops that come into contact with this product, including your hands. This way you prevent cross-contamination, which is a transfer of harmful bacteria from one substance to another.
Salmonella, how can we identify it?
Some of the most common symptoms of Salmonella include: diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, fever, and bloody stool. If someone experiences these symptoms after ingesting a product containing raw eggs, or another potentially contaminated product, it is important that they visit their local health provider immediately, so they can receive treatment and confirm their diagnosis. Confirmation of the diagnosis includes having a stool culture done. This also helps local and state health agencies track down the cause and prevent further illness.
