Cooking Eggs
Although eggs seem fairly harmless, they are potentially lethal – especially to vulnerable people like babies, the elderly and pregnant women. Salmonella poisoning, from salmonella bacteria in some raw eggs, is responsible for an estimated 1000 deaths every year, yet can be easily avoided by simply cooking eggs more thoroughly.
To boil an egg properly, ensure the water is boiling before you put the egg in; don’t heat the water to boiling point with the egg already in it! Then cook it for about ten minutes, before removing it and running it under cold water. Although children may like runny eggs, there is a much higher potential for salmonella poisoning in undercooked eggs.
As a general rule, never give undercooked eggs to any vulnerable person. As ever, always look for the best-before date before cooking, to make sure the egg is not stale or rotten. If you are cooking for more than just your family, consider taking a food safety course to learn exactly how to prepare eggs (and all kinds of food) safety and hygienically. In fact, if you are in a food business, it is required by law that you have this training.
Tags: eggs, Food Hygiene, food safety course
December 4th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
[...] eggs wisely and make sure you cook them properly. For more help of cooking eggs properly, see the Cooking Eggs post. Alternatively, click here for more advice on food hygiene food hygiene and food safety. [...]