Government Confirms Local Eggs Are Safe

Today [Aug 24] the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. John Cann, confirmed that the Environmental Health section of the Department of Health has been monitoring the mass recall of some shell eggs in the US because of a possible health risk, and confirmed that there has been “no problem” with locally produced eggs, and they are considered safe for consumption.

Currently the Centres for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta and other US Federal agencies are investigating a nationwide increase of Salmonella Enteriditis (SE) infections.

The outbreaks have been associated with shell eggs, and two large egg producers have issued a voluntary recall of shell eggs because of the possibility of contamination with salmonella. Eggs affected by these recalls have not been distributed in Bermuda. Locally, imported eggs are distributed by three local agents who import their eggs from egg producers in North Carolina, Virginia and Pennsylvania and have not been associated with the Salmonella Enteritidis outbreak.

Dr Cann noted that the Department of Health has always advised local consumers when using eggs to cook the eggs well, and he provided the following tips as reminders.

• Avoid using raw or undercooked eggs.
• Cooking eggs well and hard boiling them can kill the bacteria Salmonella Enteritidis.
• Avoid using raw eggs for Caesar salad and Hollandaise sauce – use pasteurized eggs.
• Raw/shell eggs are considered as high risk and should be stored in the refrigerator.
• Wash hands and food preparation areas with soap and water after contact with raw eggs.

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