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Enjoy eggs safely

Eggs are a healthy, nutritious part of many Australians' diets but they are a potentially hazardous raw food so they need to be stored and handled like raw meat and chicken, to reduce the risk of food poisoning.

Why is egg safety important?  

Eggs can be contaminated by the bacteria Salmonella when they are laid. Salmonella is the most commonly reported bacteria responsible for foodborne illness outbreaks in Australia and is usually associated with eggs and egg products.

Salmonella infection causes gastroenteritis (commonly known as ‘gastro’) and symptoms can include headache, fever, stomach cramps, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting which can last days or weeks.

If eggs are not handled correctly, bacteria can spread around the kitchen on hands and utensils and get into food, which can make you sick.

Take care when buying eggs

  • Always purchase eggs from a reputable supplier – the eggs should be individually stamped, in clean packaging and include the supplier’s details and date marking/labelling.

  • Only purchase eggs that are clean, free of cracks and not leaking

Handle eggs safely

There are specific safe egg handling practices that should always be used to reduce the likelihood of getting food poisoning from eggs.

Key rules when handling eggs include:

  • Don’t use eggs if they’re cracked or dirty – dirty eggs indicate that bacteria may be on the eggshell, and any cracks on eggshells mean that bacteria might be inside the shell.
  • Don’t wash eggs – eggshells are porous, if you wash eggs the water makes it easier for bacteria to get inside the shell.
  • Store your eggs in the fridge away from ready to eat foods – storing eggs in the fridge will make bacteria grow slower. Storing them away from other foods helps to protect those foods from contamination.
  • Throw eggshells into the bin immediately after cracking – this is to avoid spreading bacteria to bench tops and other surfaces in the kitchen.
  • Don’t separate eggs using the eggshell or your hands – if there is bacteria on the surface of the eggshell or your hands, it can be transferred to the egg yolk/white.  Always separate whites from yolks using a clean egg separator.
  • Cook eggs to 72°C – if you cook eggs until both the white and yolk are solid, you will kill most pathogenic bacteria, including Salmonella.
  • Refrigerate raw egg products immediately after making and consume within 24 hours – keeping them for less time and below 5°C will limit bacterial growth

Eggs from backyard chickens

When you have chickens at home it is important to make sure the chickens and eggs are handled hygienically. Key safety tips for keeping chickens and handling their eggs include:

  • Always wash your hands after handling the chickens, eggs, feed and waste
  • Keep nesting material clean and dry and replace regularly
  • Don’t feed chickens any scraps that may be contaminated
  • Collect eggs frequently, especially in warmer weather
  • Don’t wash the eggs
  • Store eggs in a clean container, separate to ready-to-eat foods

Foods containing raw or lightly cooked eggs

Homemade foods containing uncooked (raw), or lightly cooked eggs are often linked to food poisoning.

Examples of food that contain raw and lightly cooked and egg products include:

  • mayonnaise
  • aioli
  • scrambled eggs
  • custard
  • cheesecake
  • eggnog
  • deep fried ice-cream
  • mousse
  • dipping batter
  • hollandaise sauce

Commercially available versions of these foods (that you buy 'off the shelf') are generally safe, as they will almost certainly have been produced using pasteurised egg or will have been heat treated. To check, always read the label or get in touch with the manufacturer.

Consider using pasteurised egg products in recipes that will not be cooked or will only be lightly cooked.

Change to recipes that do not require raw eggs as an ingredient.

Vulnerable people such as the elderly, young children, pregnant women and those with suppressed immune systems should avoid eating raw egg products.

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City of Kwinana kaditj kalyakoorl moondang-ak kaaradj midi boodjar-ak nyininy, yakka wer waabiny, Noongar moort. Ngala kaditj baalap kalyakoorl nidja boodjar wer kep kaaradjiny, baalap moorditj nidja yaakiny-ak wer moorditj moort wer kaditj Birdiya wer yeyi.

The City of Kwinana acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we live, work and play, the Nyoongar people. We recognise their connection to the land and local waterways, their resilience and commitment to community and pay our respect to Elders past and present.

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