Sanitizing Fresh Eggs

Whether from chickens or quail, unsanitized eggs may cause illness.

Keep your family healthy by sanitizing fresh eggs. Whether procured from your own hen house or from a farmers market, fresh eggs carry the potential for having salmonella on their shells. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), eggs not sprayed with a sanitizing solution to kill salmonella must include a warning about the potential for this disease. Before preparing fresh, untreated eggs for eating, wash off the exterior of the shell and sanitize it to eliminate chicken feces on the shell from which food-borne illnesses can arise.

Things You'll Need

• Fresh eggs
• Soap
• Warm water
• Scrub brush
• Emery board or sandpaper
• Commercial egg sanitizing solution
• Spray bottle

Instructions

1. Wash the eggs with soap and rinse under warm running water.

2. Scrub the exterior of the shell with a scrub brush.

3. Rub an emery board or sandpaper to remove any visible dirt left on the surface of the egg.

4. Mix the commercial egg sanitizing solution according to the package directions.

5. Fill a spray bottle with the sanitizing mixture and spritz over the surface of the eggs, but avoid letting the eggs sit in the solution.

6. Rinse the eggs off with warm water again before using.

Tips & Warnings

• Look for a commercial sanitizing solution from farm supply stores or on the Internet.

• Always properly cook any eggs, even after sanitizing them, to prevent food poisoning.

References

• Chow: How to Get Fresh Eggs Clean
• EPA: EPA Guidance for Food-Grade Egg Shell Sanitizers
• University of Vermont: Handling of Eggs from Hen to Consumption

Resources

• FDA: Playing it Safe - Eggs