When I was growing up, every birthday in my family was celebrated with sweet, rich chocolate French silk pie that was made with raw eggs. I've also made, served and eaten homemade mayo prepared with raw eggs many times. Maybe you are also a lover of raw-egg-containing dishes such as sunny-side-up eggs, Caesar dressing and frothy co*cktails like pisco sours. Or perhaps you unintentionally consumed undercooked eggs.
Whatever led you here, you're wondering if it's safe to eat raw eggs. The short answer is no, it's not completely safe to eat raw eggs. Here's what you need to know about the risks and how to mitigate them, according to a food safety expert.
Is It Safe to Eat Raw Eggs?
Consuming raw eggs puts you at risk for contracting salmonellosis, a foodborne illness from Salmonella bacteria that can cause diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. Salmonella can be on the outside of an eggshell but also inside the egg itself. Heat kills Salmonella, which is why raw or undercooked eggs are riskier than cooked ones.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 1 million people in the United States get sick from eating food contaminated with Salmonella every year. While most people recover in four to seven days without treatment, about 400 people die every year from Salmonella infection.
In the United States, outbreaks of salmonellosis have been associated with raw and undercooked eggs, as well as meat, poultry, raw or undercooked dough, raw dairy products, fruits, leafy greens, raw sprouts, fresh vegetables, nut butters and nut spreads, and even pet food and treats. While there are trace-back efforts to identify the source of foodborne illnesses, it can be hard to find the source of an outbreak, so it's not known exactly how many of the cases of Salmonella-related illnesses and deaths are caused by eggs, according to James E. Rogers, Ph.D., the director of food safety research and testing for Consumer Reports.
It's estimated that approximately 1 in 20,000 eggs in the U.S. are contaminated with Salmonella. While that figure might sound pretty low, Rogers—a self-proclaimed "food safety curmudgeon"—says eating raw eggs is still not worth the risk, especially considering how devastating foodborne illnesses can be.
Why Do People Eat Them?
There are several reasons people might eat raw eggs. First, there are some dishes that call for raw eggs. A few recipes that call for whole raw eggs, raw egg yolks or raw egg whites include homemade mayonnaise, eggnog, chocolate mousse, some homemade ice cream, Vietnamese cà phê trứng (egg coffee) and co*cktails that get frothiness from egg whites. If you dip into the cookie dough before you bake your cookies, you'll also be eating raw eggs (as well as raw flour, which can also be contaminated with pathogens).
Some people also eat raw eggs by mistake—for example if you are served an undercooked omelet at a restaurant and don't realize it until it's too late.
And then there are people who consume raw eggs because they think it's a good way to pump up the protein in their diets. (Cue Sylvester Stallone downing a glass of raw eggs in Rocky.)
Are They Healthier Than Cooked Eggs?
While some people think raw eggs are good for building muscle, Amy Keating, a registered dietitian with Consumer Reports, says the research is conflicting on this. And in fact there are some studies that show that protein is better absorbed from cooked eggs. "If this data is true that cooked egg protein is better absorbed, then that's even better for the bodybuilders because you are absorbing more protein from a cooked egg than a raw egg," Rogers says. Given the known risks of eating raw eggs versus the unproven (and questionable at best) benefits, Rogers and Keating stand by their advice to steer clear of raw eggs.
Eating raw eggs could also prevent your body from absorbing biotin, an essential B vitamin that plays a crucial role in metabolism. Raw egg whites contain a protein called avidin, which binds to biotin in your gut and doesn't allow your body to absorb it, according to the National Institutes of Health. Cooking the egg changes the structure so it can't bind to biotin, which means you don't run the same risk with cooked eggs.
Can You Get Sick from Eating Them?
As explained above, there is a risk of exposure to Salmonella from eating raw or undercooked eggs, which may cause a type of food poisoning called salmonellosis.. If you think that just because you've never gotten sick from eating raw eggs before you never will, Rogers says, "It's a numbers game." Some signs to look out for include diarrhea, fever, vomiting and stomach cramps. Symptoms usually start six hours to six days after infection and last from four to seven days, according to the CDC.
Children under 5, adults 65 and older and people who have a weakened immune system are more likely to get infected and become seriously ill from Salmonella, according to the CDC, the experts at Consumer Reports and other food safety experts. "Those would be the top three groups of consumers that we would for sure say definitely no unpasteurized raw eggs," says Rogers. "The rest of you, if you want to take a chance, OK, but we don't support it."
People who are pregnant should also skip raw and undercooked eggs, according to food safety experts.
Myths About Raw Egg Safety
You might have heard that organic eggs are less likely to be contaminated with Salmonella, but "There's no truth to that," says Rogers. He explains that a chicken could already be colonized with Salmonella when it comes from the hatchery and could therefore pass Salmonella along in the eggs it lays regardless of its living conditions.
As for a theory that alcohol in co*cktails kills Salmonella, Rogers says that while alcohol can kill Salmonella, there are too many variables at play—including the amount of alcohol, the time it comes into contact with the raw egg and how much Salmonella is present—to consider this a safe option. "It is possible, but it really depends," he says. "You can't make a general statement across the board that as long as it has alcohol it's safe, because that may not be true. Do you want to be the guinea pig to figure out that in that one it didn't work?"
What About Partially Cooked Eggs?
In some slightly good news for lovers of sunny-side-up eggs with a nice runny yolk, Rogers says that "usually the heat of frying an egg is enough to kill the Salmonella that is in the product—as long as the egg white is solid." Although, staying true to his "food safety curmudgeon" title, he adds, "You have to think of this as a risk proposition. Is it so important to you to eat a runny egg as opposed to staying safe from Salmonella illnesses?" For his part, he says, "I just play it on the safe side because the risk is just too high."
How to Tell If Eggs Are Bad, Plus How to Store Them
Pasteurization
If you do want to make a recipe that calls for raw eggs, Rogers suggests looking for pasteurized-in-shell eggs, which you might be able to find with the rest of the eggs in the grocery section. You can also find pasteurized liquid eggs in a carton—which are available with and without yolks—just be sure to check the packaging to ensure the brand you are buying is pasteurized. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the pasteurized eggs are heated to a high enough temperature to destroy potential salmonella without altering their taste or nutritional quality.
In 2010, the Chicago Tribune put pasteurized eggs to the test against unpasteurized eggs. They found that egg whites from the pasteurized eggs didn't form peaks as well as unpasteurized eggs when beaten, but when it came to fried eggs, the pasteurized eggs cooked well and tasted good.
Vegan Substitute
If you want a vegan substitute for egg whites, give aquafaba (chickpea water) a shot in your co*cktails, like this delicious Maple Whiskey Sour. It whips up almost exactly like egg whites and can also be used in baked goods like meringues.
Food Safety Tips
Handling raw eggs safely starts with storing them safely, so keep eggs in their original carton in the coolest part of your fridge. Like other perishable foods, raw eggs should not be left at room temperature for more than two hours. (While people in many countries safely store eggs at room temperature, the way that eggs are processed in the U.S. makes it unsafe to do so.)
Because eggs sold in U.S. grocery stores are washed before heading to the market, there's unlikely to be Salmonella on the outside of the egg shell, but you should still follow good food safety practices when handling raw eggs. That means washing your hands before and after handling the eggs and cleaning any surfaces the raw eggs touch. If you do happen to find some eggs that are dirty (or if you have your own chickens), Rogers says you may want to consider washing them or wiping them with a paper towel before cracking them to cook.
Rogers suggests checking eggs at the store to be sure there are no cracked eggs, and if you do find any cracked eggs when you open the carton, discard them. If raw egg has touched the other eggs in the carton, rinse those off and put them in a separate container. And when you crack eggs, don't put the egg shells back into the carton, even temporarily.
Rogers suggests using eggs within three to five weeks of purchasing them. And don't forget that you can freeze eggs if you can't use them up quickly enough.
The Bottom Line
Anyone can get sick from eating eggs contaminated with Salmonella, but children, older people, pregnant people and immunocompromised people are at the highest risk for illness from eating raw or undercooked eggs and should avoid them altogether. The safest bet if you are planning on eating raw eggs is to opt for pasteurized eggs. And when handling eggs—pasteurized or not—follow good food safety practices and wash your hands before and after.
