WSU Thurston County

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Lacey WA  98503

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Thurston County Extension

Food Safety: Food Borne Illness

Egg-actly what you need to know about egg safety

The Olympian, March 25, 1998

There are so many easy things you can do at home to ensure the safety of food. We have one of the safest food supplies in the world, but often how we handle food once it has left the store, how we prepare foods and use the leftovers are key strategies in keeping it safe for ourselves and our family.

Question: I enjoy eating sunny side up, over-easy eggs. Could I get a food borne illness from Salmonella enteritidis?

Answer: Although the risk is small, you could get salmonellosis from over-easy eggs. In New Jersey, state law that requires eggs to be fully cooked. No more "over-easy", sunny side up eggs on the restaurant menus there. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has consumer guidelines for cooking eggs safely. The guidelines that follow are written for people considered not at risk, however.

• Fried eggs should be cooked for two to three minutes on each side or four minutes in a covered pan. The yolk should begin to thicken.
• Scrambled eggs should be cooked until firm throughout and not runny.
• Poached eggs should be cooked for five minutes over boiling water.
• Soft-cooked eggs should be cooked in the shell in boiling water for seven minutes. For those of you who elect not to eat hard cooked eggs, you can further lower your risk by cooking the egg until the white is completely firm and the yolk begins to thicken but is not hard.

Question: Could you describe "at risk"?

Answer: Certain people are at greater risk for serious illness from pathogenic bacteria. Each year, 9,000 people die from food borne illness. "At risk" individuals include people with other serious health concerns, infants and young children, the elderly, pregnant women, and anyone with a suppressed immune system from drug therapy or disease.

The USDA recommends that people at risk should consume only hard cooked or firm eggs. Most outbreaks of Salmonella enteritidis have been related to time and temperature abuse, pooling of eggs and incomplete cooking. Even lightly cooked foods containing eggs, such as French toast or meringues, may be unsafe for people in at-risk groups.

Question: When I'm cooking eggs in a food, how can I tell if the cooking is complete and the product is safe to consume?

Answer: Temperature is the best guide. Foods containing eggs should be cooked until they reach an endpoint temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. There are some other cooking guidelines that might be helpful as well. When egg mixtures are cooked on the stove top, if they coat a spoon, they are near endpoint temperature. In quiches, the appropriate endpoint temperature is assured if a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. If you are preparing a meringue, using a time/temperature guideline is the best. Meringues should be cooked 15 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

B. Susie Craig

Area Faculty
WSU Cooperative Extension Thurston County

WSU Extension programs and employment are available to all without discrimination.  Evidence of noncompliance may be reported through your local Extension Office.   Cooperating agencies: Washington State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the county of Thurston.

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