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The ideal and safe is to eat fresh eggs that have been handled and cooked correctly. Consuming rotten eggs can not only be unpleasant because of their smell and taste, but also could pose a health risk.
There are different ways to tell if an egg is fresh, rotten or It has gone bad , many times without even having to break it. Egg freshness and quality decrease over time, but an egg can go bad due to other reasons, such as bacteria or mold.
When the eggs go bad, in addition to the bad smell, the yolk and the white can become discolored. Cracked or slimy eggshells can also be a sign of bacterial contamination , while a powdery substance in the shell may be a sign of mold.
The main risk of eating rotten eggs is Salmonella infection, which is a form of food poisoning. Although not everyone who eats a rotten egg gets sick from Salmonella.
Illnesses caused by Salmonella can be serious and are more dangerous for certain people such as older adults, children under 5 years of age and people with weakened immune system. Salmonellosis can be fatal.
In most cases, the illness lasts 4 to 7 days. Symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, fever and abdominal cramps. Appear between 6 hours and 6 days after consuming contaminated food.
How to reduce the possibility of Salmonella infection?
Keep eggs refrigerated at temperatures of 71 ° F (4 ° C) or less and buy eggs where they are kept refrigerated. The USDA suggests placing them in the coldest part of the refrigerator, not on the door due to loss of cold from repeated door opening.
After cooking, do not keep eggs or egg foods at room temperature for more than two hours or an hour if the room temperature is 80 ° F or more.
Even though the eggs may appear normal inside, may contain Salmonella so should not be eaten raw or lightly cooked.
The Centers for The Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends cooking the eggs until the yolk and white are firm. Dishes that have eggs in their ingredients should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 ° F ( 71 ° C) or more.
Wash your hands and objects that came into contact with raw eggs and do not taste or eat any raw dough or mixture made with eggs raw.
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