Store bought eggs...

[RavensGryf]

So, I've eaten store bought eggs all my life basically, but just recently I've been buying cartons regularly and eating them more on a regular basis for breakfast.

Every time now, that I crack an egg in the bowl, I ask in my head... I wonder (how low the risk is) about Salmonella being in the raw egg. I do cook them, however, I'm wondering when they're raw, sometimes when you crack it against the counter a bit of raw white gets on the surface or when you put the bowl in the sink before washing dishes, etc. I clean it up after, but I always wonder how common infected eggs are on our grocery store shelves. I know that it's not too uncommon where people will include raw egg in protein drinks or smoothies or in foreign dishes. If it was that much of a risk, I'd think people would stop doing it, or we'd hear more about the dangers.

I could google it, but I thought I'd see what you had to say here first . Does anyone have any insight on this topic? How about organic store bought eggs? Is there more or less of a risk there?

 

[Amanda_Bennett]

I don't think there can be much risk since I have eaten farm raised (by friends & family) almost all my life which means not sanitized or pasteurized and no one I know has ever gotten sick from it. The normal daily protocol when eggs are gathered is to just wipe them off with a cloth dipped in water with Dawn dish soap and put them in the containers.

 

[Kiwibird]

Though I no longer eat eggs, I used to cook them frequently (both regular store bought and ones from small farms/backyard operations) and never once got sick from one. I knew several guys in high school who used to eat them raw too who never got sick too. I also have always used vinegar to sanitize counters and cooking surfaces and never had contamination issues (with eggs having been the only thing I've ever cooked that would have had a 'major' salmonella contamination risk, seeing as I've never prepared meats), so in my situation, it is likely that when I clean surfaces "99% of bacteria" are not killed and IF eggs were festering salmonella factories I probably would have caught it at some point and known the culprit.

I think the risk is very very low. Probably one of those "one in a million" type chances, yet when that rare instance happens, the risk gets blown way out of proportion as some kind of media "cautionary tale" Another thing to consider is those who eat a healthy diet, with healthy gut flora, a strong immune system and who are in good health overall are much more resistant to harmful bacteria in general. All those "statistics" never mention and probably don't even collect data on whether or not those who have caught something like salmonella had other factors at play such as a poor diet overall (thus an unhealthy/imbalance in gut flora), a chronic illness or a compromised immune system making them more susceptible than a healthy person.

 

[Aquila]

Eggs here in the US are cleaned and pasteurized, so your risk of salmonella is pretty low, whereas in Europe the eggs are natural (and not refrigerated) and also generally recognized as safe to eat raw. The USDA does say that in-shell pasteurized eggs are safe to eat raw, though I wouldn't want to personally!

 

[henpecked]

Crack your eggs against a flat surface, not the edge of a bowl or pan. This helps keep shell (which contains the bacteria) out of the egg.

 

[Taprock]

We have farm fresh eggs and my hubby eats them undercooked, I don't. I'm confident my birds are heathy but the catch with salmonella is that chickens can be asymptotic and still shed the bacteria. Farm fresh are usually considered safer just because they are watched closer and not all shoved in together. Organic wouldn't make a difference as far as I can see. As far as numbers I don't know. I think you could find them to support either opinion. It comes down to you and what you like vs. the possibility of a bad egg.

 

[ToMang07]

I don't think there can be much risk since I have eaten farm raised (by friends & family) almost all my life which means not sanitized or pasteurized and no one I know has ever gotten sick from it. The normal daily protocol when eggs are gathered is to just wipe them off with a cloth dipped in water with Dawn dish soap and put them in the containers.

Same here, except I just use water. Never had anybody complain who bought eggs from me either.

 

[gracebowen]

I ate uncleaned eggs once. I forgot they weren't cleaned just rinsed. I didn'tget sick.

If iI could afford them all the time I'donly eat farm fresh. They taste so much better.

 

[RavensGryf]

Same here, except I just use water. Never had anybody complain who bought eggs from me either.

Are you sure it wasn't because they died? LOL just kidding Tom :18: Kidding!!

 

[RavensGryf]

Thank you for the responses! I've read it's about one in 10,000 eggs. I'm not going to worry about it now. I did notice that the better quality eggs "The Happy Egg" Co. (free range, no antibiotics) have darker yolks and better tasting eggs. I thought it was my imagination, but maybe not. I don't think I've ever had a "farm fresh" egg. Now I'm curious and I want one!

Thanks Captain for the tip on cracking on a hard surface .

 

[ToMang07]

Same here, except I just use water. Never had anybody complain who bought eggs from me either.

Are you sure it wasn't because they died? LOL just kidding Tom :18: Kidding!!

Well...they didn't complain either way, lol