Korea Issues Egg Safety Guidelines as Salmonella Cases Rise

"How can I avoid salmonella infection from eating eggs?"

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced on the 7th that it has developed and distributed "Guidelines for Effective Egg Washing and Sterilization Against Salmonella" on its website.

According to the guidelines, eggs purchased for home use should be stored in separate containers in the back of refrigerators at 4°C or below where temperature fluctuations are minimal. Eggs should be thoroughly heated before consumption and eaten as soon as possible.

Salmonella is a pathogenic bacterium found in the intestines of poultry and mammals, as well as in contaminated water and soil. Infection causes symptoms including high fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, and can be particularly dangerous for infants, young children, and elderly individuals with weakened immune systems.

Salmonella food poisoning cases have been increasing in recent years. Total incidents rose from 21 cases in 2020 to 32 in 2021, 44 in 2022, 48 in 2023, and 58 in 2024. Of the 203 salmonella food poisoning cases reported over the past five years, egg-related incidents (including cooked food products) accounted for 66 cases, or approximately 33%.

The Ministry conducted on-site investigations at egg sorting and packaging facilities that perform washing and sterilization processes, establishing scientific standards to ensure sterilization effectiveness. Based on these findings, the Ministry developed washing and sterilization guidelines. Egg sorting and packaging businesses refer to operations that sort, wash, dry, sterilize, inspect, and package eggs.

The guidelines include optimal water temperature for egg washing, sanitizer concentration, treatment duration, and ultraviolet (UV) sterilizer light intensity and minimum exposure time. As some facilities using UV sterilizers were found to have insufficient sterilization effectiveness, the guidelines also provide methods for self-measuring light intensity and management measures to improve sterilization results.

A Ministry official said, "We expect that egg sorting and packaging business operators will actively utilize the washing and sterilization methods presented in the guidelines to provide safer eggs, and that households will handle eggs more safely to reduce food poisoning incidents caused by salmonella cross-contamination."

Salmonella bacteria are heat-sensitive and can be eliminated through proper cooking. Meat and eggs should be cooked at a core temperature of 75°C or higher for at least one minute. For eggs, cooking until both yolk and white are completely set is recommended. Cooked food should be consumed within two hours or refrigerated until consumption and thoroughly reheated before eating.

Food Poisoning and Infectious Diseases Surge… "Be Sure to Wash Hands and Cook Food Thoroughly"