FDA egg preparation safety tips
Keep eggs and egg products refrigerated
Avoid eating raw eggs; discard dirty or cracked eggs
Recalled eggs might still be in stores and restaurants
With news Thursday that hundreds of Americans recently have likely become ill from tainted eggs, the FDA offered the following safety advice on its website:
• Don’t eat recalled eggs or products containing recalled eggs. Recalled eggs might still be in grocery stores, restaurants and consumers’ homes. Consumers who have recalled eggs should discard them or return them to their retailer for a refund. Individuals who think they might have become ill from eating recalled eggs should consult their health care providers.
• Keep shell eggs refrigerated at temperatures no higher than 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7 degrees Celsius) at all times.
• Discard cracked or dirty eggs.
• Wash hands, cooking utensils and food preparation surfaces with soap and water after contact with raw eggs.
• Eggs should be cooked until both the white and the yolk are firm, and should be eaten promptly after cooking.
• Do not keep eggs warm or at room temperature for more than two hours.
• Refrigerate unused or leftover egg-containing foods promptly.
• Avoid eating raw eggs.
• Avoid restaurant dishes made with raw or undercooked, unpasteurized eggs. Restaurants should use pasteurized eggs in any recipe (such as Hollandaise sauce or Caesar salad dressing) that calls for raw eggs.
• Consumption of raw or undercooked eggs should be avoided, especially by young children, the elderly and persons with weakened immune systems or debilitating illnesses.