Shell Egg Safety Label in Effect Tuesday

August 31, 2001

A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandatory regulation goes into effect Tuesday, requiring all non- pasteurized shell eggs to carry a safe handling statement. The label will read: "Safe Handling Instructions: To prevent illness from bacteria: keep eggs refrigerated, cook eggs until yolks are firm, and cook foods containing eggs thoroughly."

To destroy Salmonella bacteria in shell eggs, eggs and egg dishes must be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Using pasteurized eggs -- which are exempt from the FDA safe handling label -- also would eliminate potential hazards, officials say. However, in-shell pasteurization technology is in its infancy, and some egg producers believe the FDA is pinning its hopes too strongly on in-shell pasteurization.

The FDA mandate is part of an ongoing effort to reduce the incidence of salmonella in eggs. Salmonella is the number one cause of food poisoning in the United States, according to a June 1999 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).