Can We Still Eat Eggs & Poultry?
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When it comes to avian flu risk levels, buying eggs and poultry from the supermarket is on the lower end of the spectrum. The CDC argues that there is no evidence that food will transmit H5N1—as long as it’s cooked and handled properly.
“Although H5N1 can potentially be found in our food, influenza isn’t really a foodborne disease. You have to breathe it in to get sick, not eat it,” Labus explains. “There is a much greater risk of being infected with common foodborne pathogens like Salmonella.”
Health experts advise fully cooking your eggs and poultry to an internal temperature of 165°F to kill bacteria and viruses, including this strain of avian influenza. Thoroughly cooking your chicken is something most home cooks are familiar with doing, but the increased precautions may affect how you consume eggs. Soft, runny, and undercooked eggs don’t reach a high enough temperature to stave away pathogens, which presents the risk of transmission. The safest way to eat eggs is to cook them all the way, meaning both the white and yolk are firm.
If you’re not ready to give up on runny eggs, Baum suggests buying pasteurized shell eggs that can reduce the risk of transmission. It’s also advised that you use these eggs, or pasteurized egg products, when making recipes that don’t cook eggs all the way through. Examples include salad dressings and homemade ice cream.
