If you are looking for pasteurized eggs in grocery stores, then you have to be careful when you are purchasing them. Not all eggs in grocery stores are pasteurized.
Grocery store eggs are pasteurized according to USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. But it is important to know that not all eggs in grocery stores are pasteurized.
Most pasteurized eggs are sold in a box with a label indicating that they are pasteurized. So, look out for the label. Sometimes the label could be small and hard to find.
To be sure that you are buying a pasteurized egg, you can ask the store attendant. They will be glad to direct you.
However, pasteurized eggs are more expensive and sometimes difficult to find. If you don’t have the budget to get them from the stores or you find them difficult to find, you can buy raw eggs and pasteurize them yourself at home. You will learn how to do that later in this post.
Are eggs pasteurized in the shell?
Yes, eggs are pasteurized in the shell at a regulated temperature to kill bacteria and viruses. You don’t need to remove the shells before you can pasteurize the eggs.
What you have to pay attention to is the time and the temperature to maintain. If you don’t pay attention to these factors, you might end up cooking the eggs.
The purpose of pasteurizing eggs is to kill any bacteria or virus that might be present in the eggs. Raw eggs can contain salmonella, which is the most common cause of food poisoning in the United States.
Even uncracked eggs can contain bacteria. That’s why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend pasteurized eggs.
Fresh eggs are not good for meals that require raw eggs. More importantly, they are highly unsafe for children, elderly people, and people with health issues like cancer, diabetes, and compromised immune systems.
So, make sure that you and your family eat healthy food. Even if you fail to get pasteurized eggs from the grocery stores, you can buy fresh eggs and pasteurize them yourself by following the steps below.
How to pasteurize eggs at home
Before you start, you need to know that temperature and time are two important factors to pay attention to. Temperatures above 142°F can cook your eggs.
The recommendations we are using are according to the International Egg Pasteurization Manual. We are using a temperature range of 138°F to 140°F.
The aim is to get to an internal temperature of 138 °F. Most bacteria will die at that temperature. However, at 140°F, we don’t need to pasteurize for a long time. Depending on the size of the eggs, 3–5 minutes is enough to kill the bacteria.
You can even use your Sous Vide if you have one. It makes the whole process easy because it helps you maintain the temperature.
So, here are the steps to follow:
- Put the eggs in your saucepan and cover them with water, about 1 inch above the egg.
- Then remove the eggs from the water.
- Heat the water to a temperature of about 140°F. Anything above 142°F can cook the egg, so try and maintain the temperature below the mark. You can use a thermometer to measure the temperature.
- Once the temperature reaches 140°F, add the eggs and pasteurize for about 3½ minutes. For bigger eggs, pasteurize for about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the eggs to a bowl filled with cold water. The cold water will help to stop the heating.
- Then you can store the egg by refrigeration.
If you are using Sous Vide:
- Set the temperature to 135°F.
- Once it’s set, add the eggs and heat for about 75 minutes.
- Transfer the eggs to a bowl filled with cold water and allow them to cool down.
- Then put them in your refrigerator to store.
Are free-range eggs pasteurized?
Free-range and pasteurized are two different terms. Free-range eggs are eggs hatched by free-range birds. So, seeing “free-range” on the label doesn’t mean it’s pasteurized.
If the eggs are pasteurized, it will be indicated on the label. However, the label might be too small for you to see. You can easily inquire from the store attendants.
Even if the eggs are free-range and not pasteurized, you can pasteurize them using the method described above. Pasteurizing the eggs yourself will help you reduce your grocery shopping budget.
What happens if eggs are pasteurized?
Pasteurizing your eggs helps to kill the viruses and bacteria that could contaminate them. However, if done right, the eggs will still maintain their consistency.
The only drawback of using pasteurized eggs is that they take longer to foam when beaten. According to the American Egg Board, it could take four times longer to foam. But you can’t compromise your health because of a lack of time.
Another thing with pasteurized eggs is that their prices are usually higher. They are even difficult to find in grocery stores, and if you manage to find one, the price might not be friendly.
Nevertheless, these little challenges shouldn’t stop you from prioritizing your health and that of your family. Salmonella poisoning is not something to joke about, especially when you are serving elderly people, kids, or people with compromised immune systems.
Anyone with health challenges like diabetes, cancer, and/or high blood pressure should avoid fresh eggs that are not pasteurized. So, for any meal that requires raw eggs or partially cooked ones, endeavor to use pasteurized eggs.
What is the difference between a pasteurized egg and a regular egg?
The difference between a pasteurized egg and a regular egg is that the pasteurized egg has gone through a heating process that helps kill viruses and bacteria like salmonella that cause intestinal illness.
When it comes to the consistency of the eggs, a pasteurized egg still retains the consistency of a regular egg. So, you can use it to prepare any meal.
Nevertheless, pasteurized eggs usually turn milky due to the heating process. If your egg white looks milky, it could be a sign that it has been pasteurized.
Another thing you will notice is that when beating a pasteurized egg, it takes much longer to foam. But it gives you the same result if you use it well.
However, this doesn’t mean that you will get the two eggs for the same price if you go to the grocery store—pasteurized eggs are usually costlier. So, you might want to buy the regular egg and pasteurize it yourself if you can follow the steps above.
But if you cannot maintain the temperature and time, your best option is to buy the already pasteurized eggs.
How do I know if my eggs are pasteurized?
Pasteurized eggs are usually sold in a box with a label indicating that they are pasteurized. As we stated above, it might be hard to see as some labels are small and hard to find.
The best way to be sure that the eggs are pasteurized is to ask the store attendants.
Another way to know that your eggs are pasteurized is through the color. The egg white of pasteurized eggs is usually milky. So, if you open your eggs and notice that they are milky, it’s a sign that they are pasteurized.
Moreover, if you are using pasteurized eggs, they usually take more time to foam when you beat them. If you observe these things while using your eggs, it’s a clear sign that they are pasteurized.
It is difficult to identify them through the shell. Pasteurization is the process of heating eggs to kill bacteria. It doesn’t change the color of the eggs. Even if it does, you might not be able to notice it.
So, the best way to be sure that your eggs are pasteurized is to look for the label. If you can’t find the label, meet the store attendants to be sure.