Why Safest Choice™ Pasteurized Eggs?
When it comes to food safety, eggs are a food to take seriously. Salmonella bacteria in food cause more than 1 million illnesses, more than 19,000 hospitalizations, and 378 deaths in the US every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Among bacteria, Salmonella are the number-one cause of foodborne illness. Did you know that 4 out of 5 Salmonella Enteritidis foodborne illness (food poisoning) cases come from raw or undercooked eggs? As we've seen from egg recalls, this is because eggs can be contaminated with Salmonella on the farm. The Safest Choice™ egg pasteurization process elminates the risk of Salmonella and other dangerous microbes like Avian flu virus.
When you prevent Salmonella from entering your kitchen, you eliminate the risk of spreading the bacteria to other foods though your ordinary food handling and surfaces like countertops, and cookware. Called cross contamination, spreading germs in the kitchen is one of the ways dangerous microbes like Salmonella that cause foodborne illness get into other foods and are a main cause of food poisoning, according to the CDC.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) calls these at-risk groups "highly susceptible". They are:
- Older Americans
- Children under 10
- Pregnant women
- People with diabetes
- Individuals taking strong medication that suppresses the immune system
- People on dialysis
- Post-operative patients
- Individuals with influenza or pneumonia
- Anyone with a weakened immune system
Highly susceptible means two things: First, a person who fits one of these categories is more likely to contract a foodborne illness. Secondly, a person who does get sick may become especially ill.
Particularly for these people, choosing Safest Choice™ pasteurized eggs can protect yourself and your family from Salmonella. What are your concerns when it comes to diet, nutrition, and food safety? We invite you to explore this website to see what pasteurized eggs can do to help keep you safe and healthy.
