Is it safe to eat eggs? What temperature kills salmonella in eggs?
Eggs are one of nature’s most nutritious and economical foods, but what is the danger inside an egg that looks normal on the outside? The outside of a fresh egg may look perfectly clean, but what you don’t see can be dangerous. Salmonella is a germ that lives in raw or lightly cooked eggs. It can make you sick if you eat them. Eggs are safe when you cook and handle them properly.
By researching for hours and my experience, I will tell you what temperature kills salmonella in eggs, important temperatures in cooking eggs and how to reduce the chance of getting a Salmonella infection.
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What Temperature Kills Salmonella In Eggs?
The good news is Salmonella is killed instantly at 74oC. So even if you’re unlucky enough to get an egg with bacteria on it, you can make them safe and eat without worry by cooking it properly.
How Can I Reduce My Chance Of Getting A Salmonella Infection?
- When shopping for eggs, always purchase from those that keep the eggs refrigerated. It would be best if you kept them at 40°F (4°C) or colder at all times.
- Never eat eggs that are cracked or dirty.
- Consider buying and using pasteurized eggs and egg products, which are widely available.
- Be sure it is cooked until both the egg yolk and egg white are firm. Egg dishes should be cooked to an internal temperature of 166°F (74°C) or hotter.
- Make sure to use only freshly eggs like pasteurized eggs in recipes that require raw or lightly cooked eggs, such as hollandaise sauce, Caesar salad dressing, or tiramisu.
- It’s important to eat eggs or refrigerate them promptly after they are cooked. Do not keep eggs or foods made with eggs warm or at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if the temperature is 90°F or hotter.
- To prevent the Salmonella germ from spreading, thoroughly wash your hands and any utensils or items that came in contact with raw eggs with soap and water.
- Do not taste or eat any raw dough or batter, such as cookie dough and cake mix, made with raw eggs. Bake or cook raw dough and batter before consuming it.
Important Temperatures In Cooking Eggs
- 145°F/63°C — Egg whites begin to thicken
- 150°F/ 65°C–Egg whites become a tender solid, although ovomucin yolk cords will coagulate much higher. The yolk protein starts to thicken.
- 158°F/70°C— Egg yolks set.
- 165°F/73°C— Whole egg sets.
If eggs are cooked at 212F (100C) for too long, they will get rubbery. This is because the protein in the egg continues to coagulate and water is pushed out from between protein molecules.
Keep in mind salmonella is killed instantly when subjected to a temperature of 165° F.
Some Other Related Questions
How can you tell if an egg has Salmonella?
You can’t recognize if an egg has Salmonella just by looking at it. The bacteria can be present inside an egg as well as on the shell. But cooking food thoroughly can kill Salmonella.
Does microwaving eggs kill Salmonella?
Microwaves do not kill bacteria, heat kills bacteria. The higher the temperature, the faster those bacteria will die off. “Instant death” for most bacteria (including Salmonella) is about 165° F (74° C). You only need a few seconds at this temperature.
Does freezing eggs kill Salmonella?
Many egg products can be frozen, defrosted and eaten but it’s important to know that the freezing process won’t kill Salmonella if the food is already contaminated.
What should I look for when buying eggs?
Be sure eggs are clean and uncracked. Buy refrigerated eggs. If there is any bacteria in the eggs, it will grow rapidly at room temperature.
Conclusion
Eggs are one of the most popular, nutrient-dense foods out there. However, they can also be a vehicle for food poisoning if you’re not careful. While egg farmers supply a safe, clean, fresh product, it is still possible for eggs to become contaminated by the food poisoning bacteria Salmonella. Fortunately, the right temperature can kill it.
You should be careful when eating eggs. To be safe, eggs must be properly handled, refrigerated and cooked.
I am Paula D. Gonzales. As a Product Designer, I have worked with companies like AMC Culinary Cookware, counting over 6 years of professional experience in the cookwares field.
In this blog, I will review various cookware products such as cookware benefits, non-stick safety, healthy cookware, taste, durability, PFOA free, and induction cookware. My goal is to build a rigorous evaluation of various cookware products so that you and I can better understand the differences in the products and their relative benefits.