Food Safety: Purchasing Eggs

According to the FDA, even eggs with clean, uncracked shells can occasionally contain Salmonella. Salmonella can cause intestinal infection and is nothing to play around with. The most effective way to prevent egg-related illness is to know how to buy, store, handle, and cook eggs safely. And not just eggs, but any foods containing eggs also must be handled and cooked safely. In this article I will talk about buying eggs safely. In future weeks I will talk about safe handling and cooking of eggs.

Buying Eggs

It is important to buy eggs only when they are sold in a refrigerator or a refrigerated case. Do you like to buy fresh eggs from those who have their own chickens? Make sure they are being stored in a refrigerator. If you don’t know and can’t find out, play it safe and don’t buy them that way. Do you like to buy your eggs at the local farmer’s market? Again, make sure the eggs are refrigerator. Don’t take any changes with your family’s health.

Open the carton before buying it. Make sure the eggs are clean. This is important. Sometimes when we purchase eggs from someone who has laying chickens, they are not cleaned properly. Make sure the ones you are buying are cleaned. Also, make sure none of the eggs are cracked.

Refrigerate your eggs promptly. Sometimes we neglect this step. Maybe we don’t go straight home after we buy our eggs. If this is the case, carry an ice chest with plenty of ice so your eggs stay cold.

Store eggs in their original carton and use them within three weeks so your eggs are the best quality when used.

How you buy your eggs is just the beginning of egg safety. In the coming weeks I will talk to you about safe handling and cooking of your eggs.

In the meantime, store and cook all your food safely. Have a happy, safe, and healthy holiday season.