Use pasteurized eggs to ensure eggnog safety

Posted by Campylobacter Lawyer on December 20, 2006

NorthJersey.com featured an article today on keeping eggnog safe by either buying pasteurized eggnog or using pasteurized eggs to make home-made eggnog. Salmonella and Campylobacter are common causes of foodborne illness that can be caused by eating raw eggs, and health officials are urging consumers to take precautions to prevent illness over the holidays.

Feldman advises against using raw eggs for the eggnog; instead, he suggests using pasteurized egg products, the kind found in cardboard containers in the dairy section of the supermarket, or pre-made eggnogs, all of which are pasteurized. The taste is different -- more like a cooked egg than a raw one -- but it's safer.

Raw eggs can carry two main disease-causing bacteria: salmonella and campylobacter. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, contaminated eggshells caused 182,000 cases of salmonella poisoning in 2000. For most people, that means nothing more than flu-like symptoms, but those with weak immune systems can suffer more severe illness. Campylobacter infections, called campylobacteriosis, lead to a few days of abdominal discomfort and diarrhea, but the body usually takes care of it."

Campylobacter levels in raw poultry

Posted by Campylobacter Lawyer on December 04, 2006

Chicago's ABC7.com is reporting on a recent study conducted by Consumer Reports that revealed levels of Campylobacter and Salmonella bacterial contamination in raw chicken. Consumer Reports researcher Geoff Martin oversaw the testing.

'We found that only 17 percent of the chicken we tested was free of both salmonella and campylobacter. And overall premium brands were a little more likely to carry salmonella,' said Martin.

The tests revealed an even bigger worry. Often the bacteria were resistant to one or more antibiotics.

'That means if you get sick, some antibiotics might not work,' said Martin.

Consumer Reports also reported on concerns regarding plant testing:

In August 2006, the USDA reported that the rate of positive salmonella tests in broilers had jumped to 16.3 percent in 2005, up from 11.5 percent in 2002. Richard Lobb, a spokesman for the National Chicken Council, a trade group, said it’s not clear why the rate went up in 2005, but he cited preliminary government data indicating that it has since declined. Cohen of the FSIS added that the agency has begun an initiative aimed at curbing salmonella by focusing on plants that failed the federal standard or had problems meeting it.

The full report can be found at the Consumer Reports Web site here.