Don's Home Health Germs - Pathogens Salmonella

Salmonella in Chicken Eggs

Salmonella can be both inside and outside eggs.
One out of every 20,000 chicken eggs contains a small amount of salmonella that is deposited into the sac by the hen.
In 2010, 2,400 people were sickened when eating eggs from several Iowa farms where salmonella contaminated feed was used for the chickens.

Every egg has about 9,000 pores that salmonella can essentially climb into from say, a bacteria-tainted belt in the processing plant or a vat of egg-cleaning liquid that isn't kept at just the right temperature and pH.

Those few contaminated eggs that come out of a hen usually contain a very low levels of bacteria, Keener said, totaling between two and five microorganisms. It takes a level of at least 100 bacteria to make a person sick.

But multiplication happens fast if the eggs aren't cooled quickly. And if there's a lapse in cleaning practices or an undetected outbreak among the chickens.
Salmonella doubles every 20 minutes under ideal conditions,
Source: How Does Salmonella Get Into Eggs? : Discovery News, Kevin Keener, Purdue Univ.

Symptoms:
A person infected with Salmonella usually has a fever, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea beginning 12 to 72 hours after consuming a contaminated food or beverage. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most persons recover without antibiotic treatment. However, the diarrhea can be severe, and the person may be ill enough to require hospitalization.

Prevention:

  • Keep eggs refrigerated at ≤40° F to keep the bacteria from multiplying.
  • Eggs should be thoroughly cooked until both the yolk and white are firm. Recipes containing eggs mixed with other foods should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F
  • Discard cracked or dirty eggs.
  • Wash hands and all food contact surface areas (counter tops, utensils, dishes, and cutting boards) with soap and water after contact with raw eggs to avoid cross-contamination.
  • Eat eggs 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 restaurant dishes made with raw or lightly cooked, unpasteurized eggs. Restaurants should use pasteurized eggs in any recipe (such as Hollandaise sauce or Caesar salad dressing)
Source: Tips to Reduce Your Risk of Salmonella from Eggs from the CDC

Links:
How Does Salmonella Get Into Eggs? : Discovery News, Kevin Keener, Purdue Univ.
Tips to Reduce Your Risk of Salmonella from Eggs from the CDC
Incredible Edible Egg | Egg Safety - Eggs & Food Safety at IncredibleEgg.org

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last updated 21 Dec 2011