Bird Flu, Salmonella and Other Health Risks from Raw Eggs, Explained

Can you get bird flu from eggs? Your egg safety questions answered

Who Lewis asked edited by Jeanna Bryner

Eggs can be eaten in many ways: scrambled, poached, fried, boiled or in omelettes, soufflés, custards or meringues. But one way food safety experts say you shouldn’t eat it is raw.

That’s because eggs can carry dangerous bacteria or viruses that can make us sick. It is the most popular culprit Salmonella, bacteria that can cause a serious outbreak food poisoningcausing diarrhoea, abdominal cramps and vomiting. In general incidence of Salmonella in eggs it is low: about one in 20,000. Still, “one of the safest things to do is just cook the food,” says Michael Persia, the John W. Hancock Professor of Animal Science at Virginia Tech.

How to store and cook eggs safely

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To minimize Salmonella danger, US commercial eggs are cleaned to remove bacteria and then store in the refrigerator until sold. U.S. consumers should refrigerate store-bought eggs because the antimicrobial coating, called the cuticle or bloom, is removed during the cleaning process, Persia says. In Europe the eggs can be stored at room temperature because they are not washed, leaving the flower intact. Eggs marketed by farmers in the US may be cleaned or unwashed; even if they are not washed, it is advisable to store them in the refrigerator, because they last longer.

Then there’s pasteurization, a heating process that kills bacteria. Most whole-shell eggs you buy at the store are not pasteurized, so you have to boil them until they come to temperature. 160 degrees Fahrenheit (71.1 degrees Celsius) is essential. A good rule of thumb is to cook eggs until the yolks are firm. In the US they are commercial egg products such as runny yolks and egg whites it must be pasteurizedhowever Nursing homes, daycares and other places serve people who may have a weakened immune system Egg products are often used for this reason.

Foods containing eggs need it don’t leave it out more than two hours—or more than one hour if the ambient temperature is above 90 degrees F (32.2 C). That said, many baking recipes call for eggs at room temperature, but you can take them out of the fridge half an hour to an hour before.

Can you get bird flu from chicken eggs?

In recent years, another nasty bug has been affecting poultry and, at the same time, egg production. A highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza known as H5N1 is circulating in poultry and wild birds and has taken its toll. hundreds of occurrences in US birds From January 2022 onwards egg shortage. But humans are unlikely to contract the commercial virus from eating chicken eggs, says Persia, who conducts biosecurity audits of poultry farms. “The risk is very, very, very low, non-existent,” he added. That’s why commercial farms have strict biosecurity measures to separate domestic birds from wild ones, and H5N1 is so deadly to birds that farmers must quickly cull an entire flock before the virus infects eggs, he says. “Actually, one of the biosecurity points we look at from an audit point of view is ‘If the bird is housed inside, is there access to it by outside birds?'” says Pertsiak. “(Farmers) will actually put different types of protection on the air inlet to make sure the birds don’t have access to that flock.”

This is easier with indoor birds than with outdoor ones. Backyard birds are at potential risk because they may come into contact with wild birds or pollutants, Persia warns. She recommends feeding backyard birds indoors, even if you have outdoor access, to attract wild birds. Another tip: wear shoes when walking around a chicken coop to avoid stepping on pathogens from outside.

Dairy cows have another risk. When infected with H5N1, they don’t get as sick as chickens, so these cows don’t need to be removed from the dairy herd. Raw milk from infected cows has high levels of H5N1, and the cats are dead from drinking But pasteurization kills the virus, so pasteurized milk is safe to consume.

More than 65 people in the US are infected with H5N1 as of early 2024; most of them have been dairy and poultry workers. Infections in dairy workers have generally been mild, resulting in conjunctivitis and mild respiratory symptoms. But at least two people have it get seriously ill From an H5N1 strain associated with the D1.1 genotype currently circulating in poultry and wild birds. Both cases involved a person from Louisiana they died of their infection. The Louisiana patient had contact with wild birds and backyard birds.

The longer H5N1 is allowed to circulate in cattle and poultry, the greater the chance. adjust to expand among humans But at least for now, you can rest easy knowing your eggs will be safe while you cook them.