Some popular recipes contain raw or lightly cooked eggs, including certain homemade mayonnaise recipes, salad dressings, mousse, and desserts.
If contaminated eggs are used, harmful bacteria may survive because the eggs are never sufficiently heated.
Safer alternatives include:
Using pasteurized eggs or pasteurized egg products.
Choosing commercially prepared products made with pasteurized eggs.
Following recipes that cook the egg mixture thoroughly.
These precautions are especially important when preparing food for children, pregnant women, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems.
Can Eggs Cause Food Poisoning Even When They Look Fresh?
Yes. Contaminated eggs may have no unusual odor, discoloration, or visible signs of spoilage.
Food poisoning can also result from contaminated hands, kitchen utensils, preparation surfaces, or other ingredients used during the same meal. Therefore, if several family members become ill after breakfast, the eggs may be responsible, but other foods or sources of contamination must also be considered.
