By Gina Noe
Extension Agent
RICHMOND —
More than 550,000 eggs recently were recalled because of an outbreak of salmonella. Although Kentucky has yet to be affected, the best methods to keep your family safe is to always follow standard safe handling and cooking practices.
Salmonella is a bacteria that can cause intestinal illnesses in humans. Infections can be life-threatening, especially for infants and young children, pregnant women and their unborn babies. Older adults and people with weakened immune systems (such as those with HIV/AIDS, cancer, diabetes, kidney disease and transplant patients) also are especially vulnerable.
Here are some tips about safely handling and cooking eggs, which can help prevent salmonella:
• Wash your hands. It is to wash your hands for 30 seconds before and after handling food, and using the bathroom, changing diapers or handling pets.
• Wash the surfaces you use for cooking such as utensils, cutting boards, dishes and countertops with hot, soapy water. Do this after preparing a food item and before you move to the next item.
• Paper towels are best to use. However, if you use cloth towels, wash them often using the hot water cycle in your washer.
• Salmonella is destroyed by cooking the egg, or egg-containing dish, to at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a cooking thermometer to measure the temperature.
• Promptly place eggs in the refrigerator when you get home from the store.
• Don’t eat raw eggs. This includes beverages made with raw eggs and sauces such as Caesar salad, hollandaise sauce, homemade mayonnaise, ice cream, eggnog, and cookie dough, unless the dish was made with a pasteurized liquid egg product or pasteurized in-shell eggs.
• Cook yolks until they are firm.
For more details about eggs, contact the Madison County Cooperative Extensive Service at 623-4072. (Source: Sandra Bastin, extension food and nutrition specialist)
