fresh eggs and rate of food borne disease??

[Chicken Lil]

Does anyone know if home raised chicken eggs are more or less likely to cary salmonella than store bought eggs?

Weird question, but I have an odd situation.

I work for a Japanese co. in the mid west, and we have several Japanese workers here. It seems that some of thier traditional dishes use fresh raw eggs. Because they must use fresh eggs they won't buy from the store and have subsequently passed on these dishes.

Now that I have many co workers buying eggs from me, I have been approached by some of the Japanese workers to buy eggs so they can eat them raw, as my eggs are fresh and free range.

My concern is if this is actually safer than eating the store bought eggs. I really don't want anyone to get sick from my hens eggs. Although all my girls are healthy, my hen house and coop is clean, but they spend most of thier time loose in our garden.

Does anyone have any ideas as to wether or not it is okay to eat these eggs raw?

 

[bigredfeather]

My understanding is that salmonella is a threat only if the chickens are caged (ex. large egg operation). I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that is the case. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong about this.

 

[greenmulberry]

Well, I eat my hens eggs raw! And I haven't been sick yet, I do it all the time.

It is my understanding the factory farmed eggs have a much much higher rate of transmission of salmonella, because:

A: The hens are crowded and diseases pass quickly through the flock
B: The hens immune system is not good, and they tend to carry higher loads of bacteria and viruses that they are infected with.
C: At factory farms, when they wash the eggs "en masse", this can spread germs and also push germs into the porous egg shell.

Laura

 

[Leah-yes I know I'm crazy]

The risk is from what is on the shell more so than what is in the egg. Store bought eggs have gone through a sterilization wash...still not 100%. Keeping your nest boxes clean and proper cleaning of soiled eggs will reduce risk.
The dept of Ag. and the FDA will never say that it is safe to eat raw eggs. But with safe handling the average person (not the very young, elderly, or people with comprimised immune systems) should not be at greater risk from farm raised eggs.
Raw egg is one of those "in your head" things. I personally wouldn't eat "raw egg" but cookie dough and such are magicly safe in my twisted mind.

 

[Chicken Lil]

Thanks all of you. You have confirmed what I thought, so I will now sell these guys the eggs without as much worry that I mihgt be poisoning my boss! Hmmm, than again!!

 

[PortageGirl]

It can be passed from either, but it's really more readily passed from a human using the bathroom without washing their hands after!

I'd sell them the eggs since you'd do it anyway, and not ask what they are using them for. It's their choice after all what they use them for. I'd 'warn' them that any undercooked food can cause problems, but after that, it's their choice.

 

[horsejody]

I can honestly say that I have a eaten plenty of unbaked cookie dough and cake batter with my eggs in it and never got sick. However, as a kid I ate an under cooked factory farm egg and contracted salmonella.

 

[blueskylen]

this raises a question that i know probably been answered before, but - should you wash the eggs after you bring them in?
i do only if I see a big pooh stain , but otherwise just put them in the frig. as usually they are clean to the eye.
i have seen egg was solutions for sale, but never used any.