Can you eat egg whites raw?

In this article, we will answer the question “Can you eat egg whites raw?” and discuss eating raw eggs?

Can you eat egg whites raw?

Yes, you can eat egg whites raw, but it’s not a hundred percent safe. IAlthough many studies have demonstrated that egg white is not the best environment for bacterial growth, uncooked entire eggs and egg white can be dangerous for your health (1,2). 

Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis is the most common pathogen present in eggs and it is capable of surviving in egg white despite the harsh conditions provided by it. 

What are the risks of Eating raw eggs? 

Raw eggs may be contaminated with salmonella, a bacterium that causes food poisoning. To eliminate any health risks, boil eggs to destroy salmonella and other germs. 

Additionally, it is critical to prevent cross-contamination with kitchen equipment that have come into contact with raw eggs prior to consuming the whites. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, salmonellosis is a bacterial disease that may cause vomiting, fever, diarrhea, and stomach cramps, and can persist for four to seven days (3). 

In the majority of cases, salmonellosis does not require hospitalization and individuals recover on their own. In cases of severe diarrhea, fluid therapy may be necessary (2).

What are the risks of Food Poisoning?

There is a risk of having salmonellosis. The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health released a research in 2016 estimating that there are about 1 million instances of salmonella-caused foodborne illnesses each year in the United States, with the main source of infection being eggs (4).

Contamination may occur before or after the egg is deposited, depending on how long the bacterium has been present in the hen. This may raise the risk of salmonella infection because of how eggs are kept, handled, and cooked (4). 

Salmonella infection may be reduced in free-range settings, but it is best to treat all eggs as if they are infected and to boil them well before eating.

How can you increase the Safety of Uncooked Eggs?

You can increase the safety of uncooked eggs by heating them. If raw egg whites are essential to your diet, there is a method to do so without running the danger of contracting salmonella. Pasteurization is the process of heating food to a temperature that destroys germs that may be harmful to humans. 

You may buy pasteurized eggs that have just been cooked to the point of killing germs at the supermarket rather than boiling your own. Purchase pasteurized liquid egg whites as an option. Because most grocery store whole eggs aren’t pasteurized, you should always check to be sure they’ve been cooked before consuming them.

The United States Department of Agriculture recommends egg pasteurization (yolk, egg white and liquid whole egg) using heating to be done at a minimum temperature and holding time of 60 °C for 6.2 min, 55.6 °C for 6.2 min and 60 °C for 3.5 min, respectively (6). 

Is Biotin found in egg whites?

No, biotin is found in yolk. . Raw egg whites, on the contrary, contain a chemical – avidin -that tightly clings to biotin and inhibits the body from using it. It is possible that a deficiency in biotin, or vitamin B7 in general, may lead to many different symptoms such as hair thinning, a loss of energy and rashes on the skin (7).. A significant biotin deficiency may result from consuming two or more egg whites each day for many months or longer, according to MedlinePlus. If you consume raw egg whites, it’s best to keep your intake under control (8).

Uncooked and Cooked Eggs: what is more advantageous?

Cooked eggs are more advantageous to your health than raw ones.. Despite the fact that raw food diets, athletes, and celebrities all recommend drinking eggs instead of eating them, raw eggs are not as easily digested as cooked eggs, raw eggs contains avidin and also may cause you salmonellosis, a foodborne disease (4,9)

Other FAQs about Eggs that you may be interested in.

Can you eat egg yolk while pregnant?

Can you eat eggs benedict while pregnant?

Can you eat eggs on a keto diet?

Conclusion

In this article, we answered the question “Can you eat egg whites raw?” and we discussed the odds of eating raw eggs.

Reference

  1. M. Alabdeh et al. Role of incubation conditions and protein fraction on the antimicrobial activity of egg white against Salmonella Enteritidis and Escherichia coli. J. Food Prot. (2011)
  2. R.I. Clavijo et al. Identification of genes associated with survival of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis in chicken egg albume Appl. Environ. Microbiol. (2006)
  3. Center For Disease Control and Prevention. – Salmonella. https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/index.html
  4. Agnieszka Chlebicz and Katarzyna Śliżewska. Campylobacteriosis, Salmonellosis, Yersiniosis, and Listeriosis as Zoonotic Foodborne Diseases: A Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018 May; 15(5): 863.
  5. Harriet Whiley and Kirstin Ross.Salmonella and Eggs: From Production to Plate. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2015 Mar; 12(3): 2543–2556.
  6. United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service . Egg Pasteurization Manual. United States Department of Agriculture; Albany, CA, USA: 1969.
  7. Lisa Cammalleri, Prospera Bentivegna & Mariano Malaguarnera.Egg White Injury. Intern Emerg Med. 2009 Feb;4(1):79-81.
  8. https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/natural/313.html
  9. P Evenepoel, B Geypens, A Luypaerts, M Hiele, Y Ghoos, P Rutgeerts. Digestibility of cooked and raw egg protein in humans as assessed by stable isotope techniques. J Nutr1998 Oct;128(10):1716-22

Is It Safe To Eat Raw Eggs? Facts & Myths

https://www.livestrong.com/article/466535-is-it-dangerous-to-drink-raw-egg-whites/

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