bacterium called Salmonella enteritidis was
identified as the culprit in growing numbers
of food poisonings in continental Europe,
Scandinavia, Great Britain, and North
America. Salmonella can cause diarrhea or
more serious chronic infection of other body
organs. Most of these outbreaks were
associated with the consumption of raw or
lightly cooked eggs. Further investigation
demonstrated that even intact, clean, Grade A
eggs can harbor large numbers of salmonella.
In the early 1990s, U.S. health authorities
estimated that perhaps one egg in 10,000
carried this particularly virulent form of
salmonella. Thanks to a variety of preventive
measures, the prevalence of contaminated
eggs is now much lower — but it’s not zero.
Precautions Until the day of the certified
salmonella-free egg, all cooks should know
how to minimize the risk to themselves and to
others, particularly the very young and very