Why Is It Risky To Eat Runny Egg Yolks?

For some brunch-lovers, nothing beats a classic Eggs Benedict with perfectly poached eggs — solid whites with thick, runny yolks. But look closely enough at a brunch menu and you’ll probably see the following warning: Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness. When it comes to eggs, what exactly constitutes undercooked, and do runny yolks fall into this category? And if so, what’s the risk of continuing to enjoy your eggs sunny side up, over-easy, poached or soft-boiled?

The USDA recommends eating fully cooked eggs — which means no runny yolks.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s food safety guidelines, eggs should be cooked until both the whites and the yolks are firm. “Eating eggs runny poses risks for bacteria and germs such as salmonella,” says Sharniquia White MS, RDN, LDN, a dietitian and chef based in Greensboro, North Carolina. Cooking eggs to an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit (at which point the yolks will be firm) kills bacteria and inactivates other possible pathogens.

Eating undercooked eggs, including runny egg yolks, puts you at risk for salmonella.

The major cause for concern when it comes to runny yolks is salmonella. According to research, approximately one in every 20,000 eggs is contaminated with salmonella. That means that for every runny yolk you eat, you have about a 0.005-percent chance of getting this foodborne illness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that salmonella causes 1.35 million illnesses, 26,500 hospitalizations and 420 deaths each year in the United States.

Symptoms of salmonella — usually diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps — typically start between six hours and six days after eating a contaminated food. More serious symptoms include infections in your urine, blood, bones, joints and nervous system, which can lead to more serious diseases. While most people recover from salmonella in a week or less without antibiotics, some people require antibiotic treatment and others may require hospitalization.

Some people need antibiotics to recover, while serious cases can lead to hospitalization. Most people recover in about a week without treatment, but they still have to deal with all of those uncomfortable symptoms in that time.

If you’re also worried about getting bird flu through runny eggs right now, you probably don’t need to be concerned. Syra Madad, DHSc, MSc, MCP, an epidemiologist at the Harvard Belfer Center and Chief Biopreparedness Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals, explains that infected birds typically get sick and stop laying eggs, so it’s unlikely that the virus could spread through egg consumption. Still, Madad reiterates that the best defense is to fully cook your eggs in order to kill any pathogens.

OK, but what if you’re not willing to give up runny yolks?

Despite the risk of salmonella and the USDA’s food safety warnings, eating runny yolks is commonplace. If you value the yolk dripping out of your breakfast sandwich more than you fear the risk of salmonella, no one is stopping you from enjoying your eggs this way. But, the risk is higher for certain populations, White explains. Pregnant people, adults over 65, adults over 50 with chronic diseases and infants all have weakened immune systems and should be extra cautious about food safety, since an infection could be more serious.

Buying pasteurized eggs is one way to enjoy runny eggs without the risk, since the pasteurization process kills harmful bacteria. Egg products sold in cartons are likely pasteurized — although they’re also beaten, so you won’t get a runny yolk. Sometimes, you can find pasteurized in-shell eggs at the grocery store, although these can be hard to find.

You should also follow other proper USDA food handling guidelines while making eggs, including:

• Making sure the utensils, cookware and serveware you use to prepare and serve eggs has been washed with hot, soapy water before and after it comes into contact with eggs

• Don’t keep eggs out of the fridge for more than two hours

• Serve egg dishes immediately after cooking, or cool them in the fridge and eat them within three to four days