Egg Safety Basics

We have already discussed decoration on this blog, but I want to talk about food safety issues. Many of us, whether baking cookies or cakes, use eggs. Need to learn more about how to safely handle the staple food of many recipes? Look at the following: Eggs are one of nature's most nutritious and economical foods. However, you must handle and prepare fresh eggs and egg products with special care to avoid food poisoning. From May 1st to September 14th, 2010, more than 1600 reported cases of S. Enteritidis infection were associated with contaminated shell eggs. Salmonella enteritidis is still an important cause of human disease in the United States. Consumers, egg producers and others should pay attention to basic safety guidelines and reduce the risk of spreading this and other food borne illnesses.
Egg foundation
Thorough cooking is an important step in ensuring egg safety.
Scrambled eggs: Cook until firm, no runny nose.
Fry, boil, boil, or roast: Cook until white and egg yolk are firm.
Mixture of eggs, such as casseroles: Measured with a food thermometer until the mixture center reaches 160°F.

Egg Recipe: Play Safely

Homemade ice cream and eggnog are safe if you do any of the following:
♦ Use a cooked egg mixture. Heat gently and use a food thermometer to ensure the temperature reaches 160°F.
♦ Use pasteurized eggs or egg products.
Dry meringue biscuits, holy candy and 7-minute icings are safe - these are made by combining hot syrup with beating protein. However, avoid using uncooked eggs or egg white icing recipes.
If baked at 350°F for about 15 minutes, the egg yolk pie should be safe. But avoid using raw, beaten egg whites to make chiffon pies and fruit whips and replace them with pasteurized dry egg whites, whipped cream or whipped cream.
Adjust recipes: If your recipe requires uncooked eggs, make it safe by doing one of the following:
♦ Eggs, one of the other liquid ingredients in the recipe, are heated at a low temperature and stirring is continued until the mixture reaches 160°F. Then combine it with other ingredients and complete the recipe. Or use pasteurized eggs or egg products.
♦ Use pasteurized eggs or egg products.
Note: Egg products (such as liquid or frozen egg substitutes) are pasteurized so they can be safely used in recipes that do not cook. However, it is best to use egg products in cooked recipes, especially if you are taking pregnant women, babies, toddlers, the elderly, and people with weak immune systems.
Remember, we usually deal with perishable items. Safety is always the key! Happy baking!