Salmonella Outbreaks and Eggs
The Minnesota Salmonella outbreak marks the second time in five years that shell eggs have been the source of a Salmonella outbreak, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Nearly 2,000 cases of salmonellosis were confirmed during the previous outbreak, which occurred during the summer of 2010. That outbreak was linked to unsanitary conditions on two Iowa farms: Wright County Egg, in Galt, Iowa, and Hillandale Farms of Iowa, Inc..
Salmonellosis, the infection caused by the bacteria Salmonella, causes an estimated 1.4 million cases of foodborne illness and more than 400 deaths annually in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Salmonella can be present on all raw foods including, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables, nut and legumes. To reduce risk of illness from eggs, the CDC recommends the following measures:
- Keep eggs refrigerated at or below 40° F (≤4° C) at all times.
- Discard cracked or dirty eggs.
- Wash hands and all food contact surface areas (counter tops, utensils, and cutting boards) with soap and water after contact with raw eggs. Then, disinfect the food contact surfaces using a sanitizing agent, such as bleach, following label instructions.
- Cook eggs until both the white and the yolk are firm, eat them 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.
- Don’t eat raw or undercooked eggs.
