26 January 2025

Salmonella in eggs: What is the impact on liquid eggs | Cocotine

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Eggs and salmonella

Eggs can be contaminated with salmonella or other bacteria, even if their shells look clean. According to the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES), eggs and food made with raw eggs – like mayonnaise, chocolate cream, chocolate mousse, tiramisu, etc. – are responsible for nearly half of all incidents of collective food poisoning due to salmonella.

That’s why the use of eggs in the kitchen demands that you take certain precautions. Rather than that, many professionals prefer to rely on egg products, especially pasteurised liquid egg, which poses fewer food safety risks. 

Let’s take a closer look at salmonella and eggs, as well as some sound advice from the teams at Cocotine, a manufacturer of fresh and frozen egg-based products.

 

Contamination of eggs with salmonella

Because eggs come out of a hen’s cloaca, their shells can be contaminated with bacteria, particularly salmonella. In some case, the bacteria can spread inside the egg, for example when breaking the shell.  

If ingested, salmonella can cause acute gastroenteritis, and the consequences can be severe for people with compromised immune systems. As a result, any preparation made with raw or barely cooked eggs – like a delicious chocolate mousse – could represent a fatal risk for anyone with medical sensitivities.

 

Liquid egg and pasteurisation

Processing eggs into egg products reduces the risk of salmonella contamination. In fact, the only way to destroy salmonella bacteria is by applying a heat treatment.

At our processing sites, our cooperative farmers’ eggs are broken, clarified, filtered, homogenised, pasteurised and cooled. Pasteurisation eliminates any traces of pathogenic microorganisms, which is why professional cooks prefer to use liquid egg in their kitchens, in addition to its convenience and the time it saves.

Like at any company that prepares, processes, handles or stores animal products, Cocotine’s processing workshops are subject to strict hygiene rules and must comply with a precise set of specifications. Further, all of Cocotine’s plants are BRC certified. 

 

Good practices for working with eggs in the kitchen

Shell eggs

Upon receipt, carefully examine each egg and set aside any that are dirty or cracked. Store your eggs at a constant temperature, without exposure to the sun, and keep them in cold storage if they were refrigerated when purchased or delivered. Eggs used in the most delicate preparations (like mayonnaise) should be kept chilled.

Above all, never wash your eggs, because washing them can cause microorganisms to migrate from the outside of the shell to the inside. Don’t break eggs on the edge of a pan or bowl, because bits of shell could contaminate your preparation.

It is also recommended that mixtures made with raw eggs should be consumed immediately after preparation or kept chilled and then eaten within 24 hours.

Cocotine’s catalogue includes pasteurised shell eggs, which deliver consistent quality and are suitable for any kind of food service. They are pasteurised at a low temperature, a method that preserves the sensory quality of the eggs whilst eliminating the risk of salmonella contamination. These products are ideal for at-risk individuals like young children, pregnant women and the elderly, making them appropriate for use in the menus at hospital facilities, nursing homes, and so on.

 

Egg products

Store egg products according to the indications provided on their packaging and do not use them after their use-by dates. As a general rule, fresh egg products should be stored at a temperature of 0 to 4°C, and frozen products at -12 to -18°C. Make a note of the date on the packaging the first time you open it, and use the product within the stated timeframe.

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