Keeping Eggs Safe

Eggs are a great way to vary your protein. On average, an egg a day will not increase your risk for heart disease.  Only the egg yolk that contains saturated fat.  Some people may choose to eat egg whites and avoid eating the yolks.  People who have egg allergies are typically allergic to a specific protein found in the egg whites (called the ovalbumin), not the yolk.  Egg colors vary by the type of chicken breed. There is no nutritional difference between a brown-shelled egg, versus a white-shelled egg, or blue-shelled egg.

Buying Eggs
For best quality and safety, buy eggs sold from a refrigerator or refrigerated case. Temperatures above 40°F can allow germs such as Salmonella to grow and potentially make you and your family sick.
Purchase eggs that are clean, and the shells are not cracked.  Cracked and dirty eggs could allow germs to grow.

Storing Eggs
It is important to store eggs correctly for quality and safety.  Keep eggs in the refrigerator set at 40°F or below, to prevent germs from growing.  Keep eggs in the carton and do not store eggs in the refrigerator door.  Keeping eggs at room temperature or in the door of the refrigerator could allow germs to grow. 

• Raw eggs in the shell can stay refrigerated for 3-5 weeks! 
• Hard-cooked eggs can stay refrigerated for a week, whether peeled or shelled. 

Cooking Eggs
Eggs that are purchased from a store do not need to be washed, because they were washed soon after the chicken laid the egg.  Washing can increase the risk of spreading (cross-contamination) bad germs around your kitchen.
It is important to remember to wash your hands (soap, water, and dry your hands) after cracking an egg, because germs from the egg could spread to other areas of your house with unwashed hands.  Rinsing your hands with water is not as good as using soap and water.

Raw and under-cooked eggs should not be eaten because germs could survive the cooking process and make people sick.  Those more likely to get sick are young children (under 5 years of age), pregnant women, adults over 60, and immunocompromised individuals (such as Diabetics, people with cancer…).  If eggs are cooked in a quiche, casserole, or frittata, use a food thermometer to make sure eggs reach a safe temperature of 160°F before serving to others.  Egg-based dishes that are eaten as leftovers should be heated until 165°F before serving to others.

Eggs are a nutritious food, and it is important to remember that egg quality also means egg safety.