carton container with eggs in rows

Egg Safety, Nutrition, and Cooking Methods

Egg Safety

Raw eggs pose a risk of food-borne illness, so it is important that they are produced and handled in a way that minimizes that risk. The following resources provide information around egg safety and tips for purchasing, sanitation, storage, and preparation of eggs:

Tips for handling eggs

  • Wash your hands with hot soapy water before and after handling eggs
  • Wash all kitchen surfaces and equipment with hot soapy water or a mild bleach solution (5mL bleach + 750mL water) before and after handling eggs
  • Select eggs (and other perishables) last in the grocery store
  • Store eggs in the coldest part of the refrigerator (not on the door)
  • Store eggs away from raw meats that may drip juices onto the eggshells
  • Discard any broken, cracked, or unclean eggs
  • You do not need to wash eggshells before cracking/using (they are washed and sanitized before they are packaged)
  • Cover or wrap any egg mixture or cooked eggs before refrigerating
photo of eggs on a tray

Egg Nutrition

person giving plate with fried eggs in form of face

Along with being delicious, eggs provide many nutrients. The white is mostly protein, while the yolk contains many vitamins and minerals. Read this article to learn more!

How to cleanly crack an egg

When cracking eggs, use the “three bowl method”.1 This method helps you inspect the egg before using or adding it to your mixing bowl:

1. Crack the egg on a flat surface (to avoid bits of eggshell getting into the bowl), then use your thumbs to separate one egg into a clean bowl.

2. Inspect the egg. If there is discolouration (pink, green, blue, or black spots), then dispose of the egg. If there is no discolouration, then you are okay to use the egg! Transfer it to the mixing bowl or frying pan you are using.

3. Accumulate the eggshells in a third bowl, then transfer to the garbage.

Egg cooking methods

There are many ways to cook eggs, as well as many uses for them in baking! Below are some tutorials for different egg cooking methods.

Sources:

  1. Farmer, A.; Valentine, S. Food safety and egg handling in cooking. NU FS 250: Applied Food Theory. University of Alberta, Fall 2021.

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