Thursday, August 26, 2010

Salmonella Protection From Eggs

An estimated 400,000 people are infected with food-borne salmonella each year in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease control and Prevention.
  
The Egg Safety Center has estimated the risk of salmonella infected eggs at one in 20,000, meaning the US consumer can be eating eggs for 84 years before finding a tainted one.

 Salmonella Typhimurium infection commonly results in symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhoea, fever, nausea and vomiting. The organism is transmitted via ingestion, usually of food contaminated by the faeces of an infected person or animal. The incubation period of Salmonella can range between 6 and 72 hours but is more commonly between 12 and 36 hours.1 There have also been instances of longer incubation periods of up to 16 days.

Follow below instructions to avoid complications
  • Don’t eat recalled eggs or products containing recalled eggs. Recalled eggs might still be in grocery stores, restaurants, and consumers' homes. Consumers who have recalled eggs should discard them or return them to their retailer for a refund. Individuals who think they might have become ill from eating recalled eggs should consult their health care providers.
  • Keep shell eggs refrigerated at ≤45˚ F (≤7˚ C) at all times.    
  • Discard cracked or dirty eggs. 
  • Wash hands, cooking utensils, and food preparation surfaces with soap and water after contact with raw eggs.  
  • Eggs should be cooked until both the white and the yolk are firm and eaten promptly after cooking.
  • Do not keep eggs warm or at room temperature for more than 2 hours.   
  • Refrigerate unused or leftover egg- containing foods promptly.  
  • Avoid eating raw eggs.
  • Avoid restaurant dishes made with raw or undercooked, unpasteurized eggs. Restaurants should use pasteurized eggs in any recipe (such as Hollandaise sauce or Caesar salad dressing) that calls for raw eggs.
  • Consumption of raw or undercooked eggs should be avoided, especially by young children, elderly persons, and person with weakened immune systems or debilitating illness.