Eating raw eggs...

[mama24]

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USDA does crappy research. The eggs that have been tested are all mass produced eggs (in general, although there may be some small studies done of which I am unaware, which is totally possible), so yea, that's a major flaw, one that breaks the deal for me. Being in a cage really has nothing to do with it, just the conditions really...crappy or not.

Are you a scientist? How do you judge what is crappy research or not??? I take serious offense at the blanket statement that the USDA does crappy research. The scientists there are honest hardworking people. They are limited in their research by what the government will fund, but that doesn't mean they don't do it honestly and do a poor job. If they didn't follow scientific method, there would be huge outcry from the scientific community and their work would not be published in real scientific journals, which it is. The government will fund researching commercial big production eggs, but not small backyard flocks where the eggs are only sold locally. I do see that as a flaw in this study, but I can also see why the government didn't include smaller flocks, as the great great majority of our citizens buy their eggs in the grocery store.

 

[gvntofly05]

I use my eggs raw for certain dishes. Every Christmas I make uncooked eggnog and REAL French Silk Pie. Lots of raw eggs used for that one day!

I also add a raw egg or two to my morning shake to up the protein content. This I do everyday.

I trust my own eggs because I know the conditions my own chickens are kept in.

 

[booker81]

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I don't think it's a matter of the scientists doing "crappy research", but like you said, the funding and type of research they are only allowed to do. I used to do EPA water testing for the state, and it never ceased to bother me the things that were "acceptable", and we had to disregard. Even when we got insanely scary results for something, it was a huge, huge pain in the heinie to get it to a level where anything would be done about it, sometimes taking weeks or months.

So, I don't really give a hoot what the USDA, EPA, FDA etc say and do, not because of the work in the lab, but because of the work in the upper offices that don't have the consumer in mind, but instead the almighty dollar and political motivation. No thanks

 

[gvntofly05]

Quote:
I don't think it's a matter of the scientists doing "crappy research", but like you said, the funding and type of research they are only allowed to do. I used to do EPA water testing for the state, and it never ceased to bother me the things that were "acceptable", and we had to disregard. Even when we got insanely scary results for something, it was a huge, huge pain in the heinie to get it to a level where anything would be done about it, sometimes taking weeks or months.

So, I don't really give a hoot what the USDA, EPA, FDA etc say and do, not because of the work in the lab, but because of the work in the upper offices that don't have the consumer in mind, but instead the almighty dollar and political motivation. No thanks

Exactly, no matter what the USDA scientists say the USDA is going to do and say what they want!
http://www.grist.org/article/usda-downplays-own-scientists-research-on-danger-of-roundup/

 

[mama24]

OK then, I guess we're on the same page and in agreement.

Conversations are hard on the internet! My dh and I are analytical chemists and both of my in-laws are also chemists who worked for the USDA ARS for years.

 

[Ohhhdear]

Getting back to topic a bit...

Doesn't salmonella poisoning usually affect people badly who are in certain groups, such as young, elderly, compromised immune systems, those who are overly sensitive or have had food poisoning before? Those are the warnings I've seen in articles about salmonella.
The rest of us just get a mild upset stomach, the runs, etc. and shrug it off. Our GI systems cope with it.
I believe our systems are designed to handle a lot of bacteria, germs & tainted food without much complaint. Not that we *should* eat stuff that's obviously going to make us sick, that's not common sense.
That's the reason we let our kids get chicken pox, we let them have pets and play outside in mud and get dirty and have fun; they're building up their immune systems to become resistant to disease and illness. Keeping ourselves wrapped in a modern sterile bubble causes real problems.

That said, I'll use hand sanitizer when I need to, get my kids vaccinated, keep my coop clean and gather eggs every day. I wash my girls' eggs before I refrigerate them. Common sense.

 

[pgpoultry]

Regarded by my parents as a sickly kid, I was fed sherry and raw egg as a child. Wonder I didn't become a raging alcoholic with furry arteries (well I don't think I am!)

Now I can stomach neither sherry nor raw eggs. (but doubt either is a major problem if not taken in excess)

Sandie

 

[swift4me]

Sitting here in France, reading this thread, makes me think of one thing. Steak tartare. Some freshly ground, very lean local beef with one of my egg yolks perched on top with some chopped sweet red onions and capers on the side.

Also, this thread brought up the number of things we all love that use raw eggs, like egg nog, ice cream, some cakes, and my favorite... caesar salad. I really like them and have eaten them for many years with storebought eggs, and never a problem.

But I also believe that recent generations of kids have been brought up in a "germ free" household, as opposed to during the 50's a earlier when every housewife wasn't armed with anti-bacterial kitchen cleaners, baby wipes, etc. That may lead to an intolerance of certain things.

I say go for it.

Pete

 

[Beekissed]

Go for it. I'd eat any of my eggs raw, anytime, for any reason and not even give it a second thought. Life is to be lived until it is your appointed time to die. Cooking or not cooking your eggs will not stave off nor hasten such a time.

 

[booker81]

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Pardon me as a drool all over my keyboard....mmmmmmmm.......