Salmonella enteritidis is a bacterium, responsible for causing infection of eggs not properly stored and foods prepared with eggs in the recipe. The bacteria is present within the shell of the egg, hence cleaning of the shell of the egg has nothing to do with this bacterial growth taking place in eggs not properly stored.

The bacteria Salmonella enteritidis has been responsible in causing diseases in persons either consuming raw egg or not fully cooking of the egg contaminated with Salmonella enteritidis infection. The incompletely cooked egg remains in semisolid state in which the Salmonella enteritidis bacteria exist in active form having potential of causing infection. The fully cooked egg, which becomes a hard mass on boiling or frying and in this process of cooking the bacteria get killed, hence are safe for eating.

There are provisions in the state regulations requiring safe storage and cooking of eggs a step to prevent Salmonella enteritidis related infectious disease. The Health Department inspectors are required to monitor the compliance of the eggs and egg food storage provisions. Violations of the specified requirements, is attracting enforcement of the law resulting in food embargo and administrative hearing. There are many safe egg food preparation procedures to be followed in the interest of elimination of risk towards food borne diseases occurring by eating contaminated shell eggs due to bad storage conditions.

The procedures, which are printed in bold type fonts, are required to be implemented as provided in Part 14 of the State Sanitary Code. The other procedures in the Sanitary code are the recommendations for following in routine practices.

Receiving Eggs:

- Ensure that the eggs are purchased from the suppliers who have system of delivering the eggs in refrigerated vehicles.

- Make the purchasing of eggs which are supplied in containers, which bears identification of source like a code represented by alphabets and numbers combination, from where the eggs have been purchased.

Observing Storage Conditions

- Eggs should be kept in Refrigerator at 45 degrees Fahrenheit or less the moment they are received. They should remain in the refrigerator till they are used.

- The eggs should not be stored for more than two weeks. Rotate the stocks in such a way that the oldest ones are consumed first.

Care in making Egg Preparations

- Avoid breaking two or more eggs together and using them in separate preparations.

- Make use of pasteurized eggs in the recipes requiring higher number of liquid eggs.

- Foods like mayonnaise, ice cream or salad dressing should be used from commercially available sources, because they are prepared from pasteurized eggs.

Cooking

- Cook the shell eggs or foods containing shell eggs to attain145 degrees Fahrenheit or higher unless based on the personal liking of the consumer.

- Cook the foods prepared with eggs, like quiche, pasta dishes and the stuffing, till 165 degrees Fahrenheit temperature is attained.

- Make use of a metallic stem thermometer at different intervals for measuring of the temperature of food containing eggs.

- Do the cooking of eggs and ensure that the white portion gets solidified and the yolk begins to thicken.