Egg Question

[Mad Cook]

We get the same warnings. The shows usually give us an alternative choice to the raw egg. As an elderly, I stay away from them completely. I just watched an American Test Kitchen episode that made a sauce for smoked salmon and it used a raw egg. No warning there. And that surprised me. I would never make that sauce. For years they were very diligent about warning us. My guess would be that we got the message so they have gotten lax in their warnings. I don't know if we vaccinate our hens though. We have two very large major chicken producers. Tyson and Perdue. Tyson has come under some real scrutiny by the USDA, (our watchdog) but Perdue is promoting the care they give their chickens. I don't know if they can be believed or not.

Interesting. Thanks, Addie.

 

[CWS4322]

Not sure about the US, but I do know that all chicks sold by hatcheries in Canada are vaccinated. I vaccinate my chicks.

 

[CarolPa]

Here is a link to a report on vaccination of chicks in US.

US should vaccinate poultry to stop killer salmonella - health - 13 February 2013 - New Scientist

Another article said that Tyson plants tested highest for salmonella, Pilgrim was second and Perdue, third. They are the 3 main chicken producers in the US. And even vaccinating doesn't remove all risk of salmonella.

Reading this almost makes me want to quit eating chicken and eggs, but since they are 2 of my favorite foods and I never got sick from salmonella in 67 years, I am going to press my luck and continue to eat them.

 

[CWS4322]

I was reading about this today. One needs to remember that the condition in which commercial chickens are kept are deplorable and the number of birds packed into the facilities (100,000 +). There are often dead chickens, feces, feathers, etc. covering the floors, etc. of these facilities. It may not be the chickens, rather the environment that contribute to salmonella contamination.

 

[CarolPa]

The chicken ordinance in our town did not pass, but it is not completely off the table. It might go through if they increase the sq footage required for them. There are only a handful of people requesting it, but hundreds signing petitions against it. The planning commission is concerned about policing the issues between the people with the chickens and their neighbors. We shall wait and see how it turns out. I'm betting it will not go through.

 

[Addie]

Here is a link to a report on vaccination of chicks in US.

US should vaccinate poultry to stop killer salmonella - health - 13 February 2013 - New Scientist

Another article said that Tyson plants tested highest for salmonella, Pilgrim was second and Perdue, third. They are the 3 main chicken producers in the US. And even vaccinating doesn't remove all risk of salmonella.

Reading this almost makes me want to quit eating chicken and eggs, but since they are 2 of my favorite foods and I never got sick from salmonella in 67 years, I am going to press my luck and continue to eat them.

Carol, one way you can prevent getting sick from your eggs is when you crack an egg open, don't put the empty shell back in the carton. A lot of home cooks do this. The salmonella in inside the egg, not on the outside on the shell. Thus when you put the empty shell back into the carton the salmonella is now exposed to everything in that carton. Just a drop of the small amount still in the shell dripping on to the outside of the other eggs in the carton is one way of spreading the salmonella. The next time you take eggs out of that carton, you are running the risk of salmonella poison. And like meat, you should wash your hands after handling eggs.

I am not surprised that Tyson tested the highest. They have been sited more than once for the condition of their facilities. I never buy Tyson products. Frozen or fresh.

 

[CarolPa]

Carol, one way you can prevent getting sick from your eggs is when you crack an egg open, don't put the empty shell back in the carton. A lot of home cooks do this. The salmonella in inside the egg, not on the outside on the shell. Thus when you put the empty shell back into the carton the salmonella is now exposed to everything in that carton. Just a drop of the small amount still in the shell dripping on to the outside of the other eggs in the carton is one way of spreading the salmonella. The next time you take eggs out of that carton, you are running the risk of salmonella poison. And like meat, you should wash your hands after handling eggs.

I am not surprised that Tyson tested the highest. They have been sited more than once for the condition of their facilities. I never buy Tyson products. Frozen or fresh.

Hmmm, I would never think to put the shell back in the carton. Actually, when I'm using eggs, I get out the number of eggs I need and set them on the counter, then put the carton away. I always crack each egg into a cup to make sure it's ok before adding it to the recipe or pan, and to make sure I don't get any shells in.

 

[Mad Cook]

Hmmm, I would never think to put the shell back in the carton. Actually, when I'm using eggs, I get out the number of eggs I need and set them on the counter, then put the carton away. I always crack each egg into a cup to make sure it's ok before adding it to the recipe or pan, and to make sure I don't get any shells in.

I do the cup thing too. Mother and grandmother taught me to do it and add the eggs individually so if one egg was bad it wouldn't taint the rest of the eggs or the recipe. I still do it but I haven't seen a bad egg in donkeys' years.

Primary (5-11 years) schools used to use egg cartons for craft projects when I was a trainee teacher but since the salmonella panic they aren't allowed to do that. (The same applies to using toilet roll "middles" which is probably a Good Thing).

As a child in the 1950s I was always taught that duck eggs should always be well cooked - either in cakes or if fried, boiled, etc., cooked hard because if they weren't they would give you food poisoning. However, I've recently seen television chefs using them with soft yolks or in one case raw.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

... The salmonella in inside the egg, not on the outside on the shell....

From the CDC:

.....However, stringent procedures for cleaning and inspecting eggs were implemented in the 1970s and have made illness from Salmonella caused by chicken feces on the outside of egg shells extremely rare........

.....An estimated one in 20,000 eggs is internally contaminated........

Addie, there's a better chance some crazy Boston driver will run you over while you're on your scooter than of me getting sick from an egg.

 

[Addie]

From the CDC:

.....However, stringent procedures for cleaning and inspecting eggs were implemented in the 1970s and have made illness from Salmonella caused by chicken feces on the outside of egg shells extremely rare........

.....An estimated one in 20,000 eggs is internally contaminated........

Addie, there's a better chance some crazy Boston driver will run you over while you're on your scooter than of me getting sick from an egg.

There is nothing wrong with Boston drivers. It just that you tourists don't know our rules.

1. The roads belong to us, the Boston driver, not the tourist. After all we are the ones that built those roads.

2. When we are in need of a laugh, we direct tourists to our Rotaries.

3. There is no rule. All rules have been canceled for the Boston driver.

4. All rules, regulations and driving laws are for others, not the Boston drivers.

5. See #1.

6. Ignore traffic lights. They are really Christmas lights that someone forgot to take down after the holidays.

7. If there is a traffic jam or double parking, then drive on the sidewalk.

Enough for now. But there are more rules for us, the Boston driver.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

There is nothing wrong with Boston drivers. It just that you tourists don't know our rules....

Addie, I typed out all kinds of replies...but I didn't want to clutter the thread with lots of OT comments. See mods, I can be good sometimes.

 

[taxlady]

And, about drivers in Mass., blind spot, what do ya mean?

 

[Addie]

Addie, I typed out all kinds of replies...but I didn't want to clutter the thread with lots of OT comments. See mods, I can be good sometimes.

CG, I have to remember to put the wink in mine. It was written with tongue in cheek. And you are a good girl

 

[Addie]

And, about drivers in Mass., blind spot, what do ya mean?

Andy, I am not a driver. You want to take this one?

 

[radhuni]

79 cents = 513.5 Rupees, so the price of 1 egg is 513.5 INR . In india the price of a egg is only 5 INR at average.

 

[joesfolk]

Primary (5-11 years) schools used to use egg cartons for craft projects when I was a trainee teacher but since the salmonella panic they aren't allowed to do that. (The same applies to using toilet roll "middles" which is probably a Good Thing).

As a child in the 1950s I was always taught that duck eggs should always be well cooked - either in cakes or if fried, boiled, etc., cooked hard because if they weren't they would give you food poisoning. However, I've recently seen television chefs using them with soft yolks or in one case raw.

I actually have a little bell made from an egg Carton portion and a pipe cleaner that I made in kindergarten more than 50 years ago. It is my most cherished ornament. Never did it occur to me that there could be salmonella on it. I think I'll just keep on risking it.
Oh by the way. Duck eggs make the lightest cakes. Not sure if that is to do with the composition of the eggs or the fact that theyare generally bigger than chicken eggs but man I love having duck eggs for baking.

 

[CWS4322]

Love it, joesfolk. I have several of those, too.

Hens that are happy and well cared for in a clean coop, are most likely not to be a problem re: salmonella. My girls are, dare I suggest, very happy hens and I am confident that I can pass their eggs on to folks and not worry about anything--well, other than people get addicted to the eggs the girls lay--best eggs around!

 

[GotGarlic]

There are about 300 million people in the United States. Let's say they eat twice a day on average; that's 600 million meals. There are about 42,000 cases of salmonella reported in the U.S. each year. So the chance of getting salmonella from an egg is 0.00007.

It's even less than that, because people don't eat eggs at every meal, but this is the limit of my statistics skills

 

[Addie]

There are about 300 million people in the United States. Let's say they eat twice a day on average; that's 600 million meals. There are about 42,000 cases of salmonella reported in the U.S. each year. So the chance of getting salmonella from an egg is 0.00007.

It's even less than that, because people don't eat eggs at every meal, but this is the limit of my statistics skills

Well you are better than me with math. My mind blanks whenever there are numbers involved. The Pirate and Spike can do mental math in seconds without a pencil and paper. Poo is right behind them. He loves Math. If he hadn't gone into medicine, he probably would be teaching advance math at MIT.

 

[CWS4322]

Hmmm, I would never think to put the shell back in the carton. Actually, when I'm using eggs, I get out the number of eggs I need and set them on the counter, then put the carton away. I always crack each egg into a cup to make sure it's ok before adding it to the recipe or pan, and to make sure I don't get any shells in.

When cracking an egg, it is best to crack it on a flat surface (not the edge of a pan, cup, etc.). If cracked on the edge of something, there is a risk of bacteria getting in the cup, pan, etc.