For healthy adults, the risk of contracting Salmonellosis or other salmonella-related food poisoning is very low. According to the American Egg Board, your chances of cracking open an infected egg is about 0.005% (five one-thousandths of a percent). Scientists conservatively estimate that only one out of every 20,000 eggs produced might contain the salmonella bacteria.
Even if an egg does contain the bacteria, the amount in a freshly laid egg probably will be small, and if the egg is properly refrigerated and handled, will not multiply enough to cause illness in a healthy person. However, children, pregnant women, the elderly, and anyone with an immune system disorder should take special care to avoid the risk of salmonella food poisoning.
Egg Storage
Shop at a reputable grocery store. Choose Grade-A or AA eggs with clean, uncracked shells. Buy only eggs that have been kept refrigerated--any bacteria present in eggs can grow rapidly outside refrigeration. If the egg carton has a date printed on it, make sure it hasn't passed.
Keep eggs refrigerated. Get eggs into a 40-degree F refrigerator as soon as possible after purchasing. Leave eggs in their original carton in a colder section of the refrigerator, not in the door. Do not wash eggs prior to storage because that will remove the protective coating applied at the packaging plant
Fresh shell eggs can be kept safely in the refrigerator three to five weeks from the date of purchase, not from the date on the carton.
Handle with Care
As with any food preparation, make sure to wash hands, utensils, equipment, and work surfaces with hot soapy water before and after they come in contact with eggs and raw egg-rich foods. Minimize preparation and serving time-don't allow eggs to remain out of the refrigerator for more than two hours (not counting cooking time).
Serve cooked egg dishes immediately after cooking, or refrigerate at once for serving later. Use within three to four days, or freeze for longer storage.
What's this?