Raw egg in eggnog still not safe when spiked (original) (raw)

Myth: Spiking homemade eggnog eliminates the risk of salmonella from raw eggs.

Fact: Adding a shot of brandy or rum to your homemade eggnog might add to your holiday cheer, but it doesn't mean you're in the clear when it comes to salmonella bacteria. The risk of getting sick from raw eggs is small, and even smaller when alcohol is in the mix, but scientists aren't willing to say there's no risk at all.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1 in 20,000 eggs is contaminated with salmonella, a nasty food-borne bacteria that can cause fever, severe stomach cramps and diarrhea that may last up to a week. The risk is minuscule compared with that of raw chicken. Up to 7.5 percent of chickens from food processing plants can test positive for salmonella.

Still, to be safe, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that holiday hosts cook their egg and milk mixture by heating it slowly on the stove top until it reaches 160 degrees F. Another option is to use store-bought pasteurized eggs, which egg distributors have heated to temperatures high enough to kill bacteria without cooking the eggs.

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Dec 18, 2012|Updated Dec 18, 2012 5:04 p.m.

Kathyrn is a freelance reporter living in Palo Alto. She graduated from the Stanford graduate program in journalism in 2010, and as a student, she co-founded the Peninsula Press, the local news site where Stanford journalism students publish their classwork in conjunction with local media partners SFGate.com and KQED. She is now the site’s managing editor. Originally from Prescott, Ariz., Kathryn earned her undergraduate degree at Northern Arizona University and worked as a speechwriter for Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano. She then worked on the communications staff of the Make-a-Wish Foundation. In addition to The San Francisco Chronicle, Kathryn's work has appeared in U.S_._ News and World Report, the Bay Citizen and New America Media.