Unfortunately, pasteurized eggs cost more than non- pasteurized, fresh eggs, so this may deter food service establishments from purchasing them. Any facility that feeds children, the elderly, or the immunocompromised should be using pasteurized eggs for the safety of their guests. Restaurant operators MUST be more vigilant regarding the high-risk practices that take place in their facilities. Employees need training to ensure that eggs are stored at the correct temperature, not pooled, and are cooked to the correct temperature. Using pasteurized eggs is more costly, but if establishments invest in them, will minimize risk of salmonella, that we see in so many locations. That is our priority, and we will continue to encourage establishments to follow our lead to help prevent future outbreaks. n
allowed, but the containers of pooled eggs are held out of temperature for long time periods, fostering the growth of salmonella. When the health department arrives for an inspection, pooled eggs are one of the first items that are discarded. Why are people in food service establishments doing something that can harm customers and negatively affect their business? There doesn’t seem to be a logical answer to this question, since it carries on in spite of the risks. SO, WHAT’S THE SOLUTION? The answer to this problem is pasteurized eggs, which have been treated at a high enough temperature that the salmonella is destroyed before use. An establishment can buy shelled eggs or liquid eggs that are pasteurized to minimize or lower risk of salmonella.
BETH TORIN, RD, MA
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER bettercallbeth.com Beth Torin served as the Executive Director for the New York City Department of Health Office of Food Safety (NYCDOHMH) for 14 years. *Journal of Food Protection, Vol. 67, No. 7, 2004, Pages 1444–1450
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