Eggs that are not properly cleaned and sanitised
before being used/consumed can cause human illness. This is particularly true when eggshells have visible debris
on them such as droppings.
Namara Moreen works with Great Habib Smart Farm Academy. She says after picking eggs from the poultry houses, first they clean them because it is always key to clean the eggs because dirty eggshells contain bacteria which cause diseases such as salmonella.
The dirt can enter the cooked products, as well as contaminate hands, food, or kitchen equipment during the cooking process.
However, even eggs shells that appear to be clean can carry disease-causing germs, as the bacteria can enter the egg through pores in the eggs shells, and contaminate the edible part of the egg.
The best prevention is to reduce the number of dirty eggs. However, since even shells that appear clean may carry germs, all eggs should be properly cleaned and sanitised.
Disinfecting farm eggs
The process of disinfection of eggs consists reducing or eliminating pathogens that are contained in the eggs.
There are several ways to accomplish this disinfection, whether with chemical disinfectants or physical agents, such as disinfecting by filtration, radiation, dry heat and moist heat as a mechanical washing process.
A good solution for the disinfection of eggs is the washing, disinfecting and drying machines, as these provide a good standardisation of the process, ensuring health control and the temperature of the egg.
Salmonella disease
Salmonellosis is a disease caused by bacteria of the genus salmonella, which can be sub-divided into several serotypes. The most important species for the human population and the egg processing industry are salmonella enteritides and salmonella typhimurium, as they may cause gastroenteritis in humans and, in severe cases, lead to death.
