OK... I think I'm figuring this out.... I found this article at: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/08-31-2001/0001564537&EDATE=
and I think most grocery store eggs, at this point are NOT pasteurized as most cartons do have the "warning" on them. Therefore when confronted with "your eggs aren't pasteurized" arguement, I can say neither are the ones in the store, with the exception of Davidson's I suppose. Maybe it will become more popular, but it hasn't killed us after all these years!
FDA Egg Carton Warning Label Requirement Takes Effect Sept. 4
Pasteurized Eggs Effectively Eliminate Salmonella Risk
MEREDITH, N.H., Aug. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- If you like to dip into raw cookie
dough or eat eggs sunnyside up, you may want to first read the label on that
carton of non-pasteurized shell eggs. Starting Sept. 4, a U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) mandatory regulation goes into effect, requiring all non-
pasteurized shell eggs to carry a safe handling statement.
The label will read as follows: "Safe Handling Instructions: To prevent
illness from bacteria: keep eggs refrigerated, cook eggs until yolks are firm,
and cook foods containing eggs thoroughly."
To destroy Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) bacteria in shell eggs, eggs and
egg dishes must be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit
(e.g. cooked until the egg yolks are firm). Using pasteurized eggs -- which
are exempt from the FDA safe handling label -- will also eliminate potential
hazards.
Davidson's Pasteurized Eggs(TM) undergo the same all-natural heating
process as milk to destroy harmful bacteria -- without cooking the eggs. The
result is bacteria-free eggs that look, cook and taste the same as other in-
shell eggs according to Jenny Bartholdi, consumer relations manager for
Pasteurized Eggs Corporation.
The FDA mandate is part of an ongoing effort to reduce the incidence of
salmonella in eggs. Salmonella is the number one cause of food poisoning in
the United States, according to a June 1999 report from the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Salmonella is much more likely to be
associated with egg-containing foods. The eggs involved were almost always
U.S. Grade-A commercial shell eggs that came from many different source farms
and were typically not fully cooked, according to R. V. Tauxe, MD, MPH,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
SE can lead to diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, headache, nausea and
vomiting. Young children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with
weakened immune systems may develop severe and even life-threatening
infections.
"When consumers use pasteurized eggs, they can eat them any way they like
-- even raw," Bartholdi said. "Pasteurized eggs allow restaurant chefs and
home cooks to bring out recipes for some of their favorite foods again, like
eggs over easy or sunnyside up, Caesar salad, tiramisu, stuffing, eggnog and
homemade ice cream."
Pasteurized shell eggs cost about 36 cents more per dozen. Davidson's
Pasteurized Eggs are sold by the dozen and can be found in major supermarkets
along the East Coast and the Southeast. The company expects the product to be
available in grocery stores east of the Mississippi and in food service
establishments nationwide by the end of 2001. Beginning in mid-September, the
product can be ordered online at
http://www.davidsonseggs.com . National retail
distribution will be complete by 2003.
About Davidson's:
Headquartered in Meredith, New Hampshire, Pasteurized Eggs Corporation is
the nation's leading pasteurized shell egg supplier and markets the Davidson's
Pasteurized Eggs(TM) brand. The company offers 100 percent real shell eggs
that are pasteurized through a natural FDA-approved process that eliminates SE
bacteria. Davidson's Pasteurized Eggs are certified by the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA). Pasteurized Eggs Corporation has the only
patented pasteurization process qualified to carry the prestigious Good
Housekeeping Seal, promising quality and consumer confidence.
