Eating runny egg yolks can be a contentious issue, with many Americans enjoying them despite the risks. While cooking eggs until both parts are firm kills pathogens like salmonella and bird flu, not all eggs pose an equal risk.
According to experts, most commercial eggs in the US are safe to eat even when runny, but there’s always an individual egg that may contain bacteria. Salmonella is the leading cause of food poisoning-related deaths nationwide, and it can be found on both inside and outside an egg.
Eggs can carry other bacteria like E. coli and campylobacter, but salmonella is the primary concern. The risk of salmonella in eggs is estimated to be one in every 20,000 eggs, which may not seem like a lot, but considering the average American eats about 250 eggs per year, this risk can add up.
To put it into perspective, salmonella can cause severe symptoms such as fevers, stomach cramping, diarrhea, and vomiting. While most people recover on their own or with antibiotics, around 26,500 people are hospitalized due to salmonella annually, and about 420 die from the infection each year.
Experts stress that determining the likelihood of a given egg containing salmonella is difficult due to inconsistent testing protocols. However, they agree that even sanitized eggs may still carry bacteria.
The good news is that you can take steps to lower your risk by following simple guidelines: choosing pasteurized eggs, practicing safe hygiene when handling raw eggs, keeping them cool and refrigerated, checking for cracks, skipping the wash at home, and keeping them fresh.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/19/well/runny-egg-yolk-salmonella-bird-flu-safety.html