The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) considers it safe to use in-shell raw eggs if they are pasteurized (14). Raw eggs may contain a type of pathogenic bacteria called Salmonella, which can cause food poisoning. Using pasteurized eggs lessens the possibility of contracting a Salmonella infection.

Does pasteurizing eggs kill salmonella?

USDA chemical engineer David J. Geveke and his colleagues have shown that their pasteurization process, currently in the prototype stage, killed 99.999 percent of the Salmonella that they injected into raw in-shell eggs for their laboratory tests.

Can you get sick from pasteurized eggs?

Though pasteurized eggs are far less dangerous than raw unpasteurized eggs, they can make you sick if you handle them improperly. As with all fresh, high-protein foods, pasteurized eggs will go bad if stored at room temperature.