Should
you reuse egg cartons from the store? Are they safe? I'll admit, I've
accepted cartons from well-meaning friends and neighbors and stored my own farm
fresh eggs in them. But there is this nagging feeling that makes me question - "Is
it safe?" Especially as I sort
through the containers to try and find ones that are not stained from dripping
eggs whites passing across them to the fry pan. Or from broken eggs shells once
stored inside. Most times this pickiness leaves me with a bag full of fire starter
instead of storage containers.
So
when our daughter found hard plastic egg cartons, and on sale too, I jumped at
the opportunity to leave used egg cartons behind.
Then
comfortable with my decision, I did some research on just what a risk I had
been taking. What I found scared me.
·
Salmonella is one such bacterium and
it can remain alive for weeks lurking in a used egg carton.
·
You can be
a salmonella carrier without symptoms and pass the disease on to others.
"The
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimates that 79,000 cases of
foodborne illness and 30 deaths each year are caused by eating eggs
contaminated with Salmonella.
- For this reason Israel
Health Ministry issued a ban on used cardboard egg cartons for arts and
crafts in their schools and day cares.
Thinking twice yet?
So what about Styrofoam egg cartons? I saw that some
on the internet felt they were safe to reuse because they were sterilizing them. But is that enough? Styrofoam is
porous and lightweight foam. This porosity helps maintain heat and cold but it also is perfect for harboring bacteria.
Apparently if Salmonella is given time to form a
biofilm in the Styrofoam then sterilization is not enough. If not, then yes, you can reuse the cartons but there is no
way for those of us without training and the equipment to know if sterilization is enough. The simple answer to those who would bless you with the offer of used egg cartons is, "No, thank you." or use them as a fire starter. They work great!
(Did not type this post in capital letters. And it does not show up as such in my draft. Do what is up with that. I will be switching one of these days to the new site and this should not happen.)
So when our daughter found hard plastic egg cartons, and on sale too, I jumped at the opportunity to leave used egg cartons behind.
Apparently if Salmonella is given time to form a biofilm in the Styrofoam then sterilization is not enough. If not, then yes, you can reuse the cartons but there is no way for those of us without training and the equipment to know if sterilization is enough. The simple answer to those who would bless you with the offer of used egg cartons is, "No, thank you." or use them as a fire starter. They work great!
(Did not type this post in capital letters. And it does not show up as such in my draft. Do what is up with that. I will be switching one of these days to the new site and this should not happen.)
I buy my eggs directly from the farmer. Well,the farmer's mother, who lives near me and sells them for her son. They are already crated up when I pick them up. Unless you furnish the farmer with a plastic crate like you showed, I don't know how you can avoid using recycled crates. What about rewashing the eggs once you bring them home?
ReplyDeleteEgg shells are permeable and the contamination may have already gone inside the egg. I understand your concern. The only option is to give the farmer your own egg cartons. You can buy brand new paper type egg cartons like in the first photo from a feed store. That may be an option to give the farmer to put your eggs in. I will have a post coming up with information on state laws farmers are suppose to follow. These laws and safety are the reasons I don't sell eggs. I can't afford enough insurance IF something should go wrong.
ReplyDeleteI think it might be time for us to raise our own layers. ;0D
ReplyDeleteI think that is a wonderful idea. They are great entertainment and there is nothing like an Easter egg hunt every day of the year. Presently we have four roosters that follow us around the yard like dogs. They scared the Fed Ex delivery man with their size. They are huge but gentle and sweet they are. No, we don't need as many roosters as we have but things have not gotten done with the holidays and our daughter's health problems.
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