Can You Eat Raw Eggs?
You've eaten raw cookie dough before. How risky is it?
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If you’ve ever eaten raw cookie dough or whisked up a Caesar salad dressing with raw eggs, you might be wondering if it’s safe to eat. For more info on whether you can eat raw eggs, we consulted Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN award winning nutrition expert and Wall Street Journal best-selling author of Up Your Veggies: Flexitarian Recipes for the Whole Family.
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Can You Eat Raw Eggs?
No, it is not recommended for anyone to eat raw eggs.
“High risk individuals are especially vulnerable to Salmonella enteritidis infections. These individuals include folks with health problems, kids under the age of 6 years, older adults, and pregnant and lactating women,” Amidor says. “Any foods that are made with raw eggs like milkshakes made with raw eggs, Caesar salad, Hollandaise sauce and other such foods should not be eaten or made with pasteurized eggs only.”
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Can You Get Salmonella from Raw Eggs?
Yes, you can get Salmonella from raw eggs.
“Raw eggs have been linked with Salmonellosis and as such it is important to handle each egg safely to ensure that if it does contain the bacteria that you don't get sick from it,” Amidor says. “Salmonella is a bacteria where symptoms like diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps and vomiting develop 12-72 hours after eating a tainted food. Symptoms tend to last 4-7 days and most people recover without treatment.”
Amidor recommends following proper food safety practices for eggs to help prevent illness. This includes:
- Buying eggs only if sold from a refrigerator or refrigerated case.
- Storing eggs promptly in a clean refrigerator at a temperature of 40 degrees F or below.
- Storing eggs in their original carton and use them within 3 weeks for best quality.
- Using or eating hard-cooked eggs (in the shell or peeled) within 1 week after cooking.
- Cooking eggs until both the yolk and the white are firm. Scrambled eggs should not be runny.
- Casseroles and other dishes containing eggs should be cooked to 160 degrees F. Use a food thermometer to be sure.
For more storage tips and egg food safety information, check out our primers This Is the Only No-Fail Way to Tell If an Egg Is Bad and Do Eggs Need to Be Refrigerated?
Can You Eat Raw Pasteurized Eggs?
Yes, you can eat raw pasteurized eggs. “Pasteurized shelled eggs have been heat treated to destroy pathogenic microorganisms while maintaining the nutrients,” Amidor says. “The potentially harmful bacteria has been destroyed, so it is safe to eat raw.”
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Where to Buy Pasteurized Eggs
You can buy pasteurized eggs in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. Amidor recommends looking for the word "pasteurized" on the egg carton label.
Are There Any Benefits of Eating Raw Eggs?
No, there aren’t any benefits of eating raw eggs. “It is just a matter of preference if you like eating soft-cooked eggs or if you like to make certain dishes from raw eggs like milkshakes, eggnog and Caesar salad dressing,” Amidor says. “There are claims that raw eggs may provide higher amounts of protein or other nutrients, but you get plenty of protein, and other nutrients when eating them cooked.”
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