EXTENSION REPORT

Egg Safety

Egg handling provides many opportunities for eggs to become contaminated with bacteria.  Eggs are a potentially hazardous food, in the same category as meat, poultry, fish,  and milk.  In other words, they are capable of supporting the rapid growth of disease-causing bacteria like salmonella.  Here are some tips on how to safely handle eggs all through the year. 

The shell of an egg is very porous and will permit bacteria to penetrate.  Most commercial egg producers lightly coat their eggs with a thin spray coating of mineral oil to close the pores against contamination.  Cooking the egg in the shell, however, removes that barrier so that your hard cooked eggs are again prone to contamination unless you protect them by proper handling.  Make sure to avoid areas where eggs might come in contact with dirt, pets, and other bacteria sources. Always remember that food cannot be left out for more than two hours and remain safe.  If eggs are not going to be eaten within 2 hours, they should be kept in a cooler or refrigerator until you are ready to eat them. 

            When purchasing eggs from the grocery store, they should be in a refrigerated case. The eggs should be clean and the shells free of cracks.  Always make sure eggs are purchased prior to the Sell -By or Expiration dates.  Raw shell eggs should be used within 3 to 5 weeks. Hard-cooked eggs can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.  Leftover yolks and whites should be used within 4 days.

            If you ever have eggs to become cracked on the way home from the store, break them into a container, cover it tightly, and store them in the refrigerator.  They should be used within 2 days.  If you are not planning to use the eggs right away, you can store them in the freezer.  If you want to freeze whole eggs, they should be taken out of the shell.  The whites and yolks need to be beaten together and then frozen.  Egg whites can be frozen by themselves.  Frozen eggs will keep in the freezer for about a year.  If for any reason, eggs are frozen in their shells, they must be kept frozen until you’re ready to use them.  Place them in the refrigerator and let them defrost and then discard any cracked shells.

            Always be sure to wash your hands, and anything that may come in contact with raw eggs, thoroughly with warm, soapy water before and after contact with the eggs.  Casseroles and other dishes containing eggs must be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F. as measured by a food thermometer.

            For additional information on egg products, contact the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline toll free at 1-888-674-6854.  You can also visit them on the web at .

Email address: mcgreaj@aces.edu
Phone number: (251) 574-8445

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work in agriculture and home economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, and other related acts, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) offers educational programs, materials, and equal opportunity employment to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability.