Food safety
The risk is small when eggs are handled properly, but the right advice depends on the egg standard and who will eat them.
Choose clean, uncracked eggs and check the best-before date and any quality mark.
Keep eggs at a steady cool temperature, ideally in their box and away from strong odours.
Wash hands, utensils and surfaces after contact with raw egg. Do not wash shells, which can spread contamination.
Prevent raw egg from touching ready-to-eat food, especially when baking or breading.
Young children, older people, pregnant people and anyone immunocompromised should follow current local advice.
Cool cooked egg dishes quickly, refrigerate them and reheat thoroughly only when appropriate.
Regional guidance
UK advice permits vulnerable groups to eat raw or lightly cooked qualifying Lion-marked hen eggs. US, Canadian and Australian authorities generally give more cautious advice about raw or lightly cooked eggs and may recommend pasteurised egg products.1–4
Use the guidance for the country where the eggs were produced and sold. People who are severely immunocompromised should follow their own clinical advice.
International guidance
Egg production and storage systems vary. Use these general principles alongside the carton and advice from your national food authority.
Choose clean, intact eggs; keep clean; separate raw egg from ready-to-eat food; cook thoroughly; keep food at safe temperatures; and use pasteurised egg for uncooked dishes when available.
Follow the carton and your national food authority for refrigeration, raw or lightly cooked eggs, vulnerable groups, recalls and outbreak notices.
Codex sets internationally recognised hygiene principles for eggs, while WHO’s Five Keys provide a practical household baseline. National rules still take priority.
Egg allergy can cause rapid and serious reactions. Anyone with breathing difficulty, collapse or swelling of the mouth or throat needs urgent medical help.
Pasteurised shell eggs and egg products can lower microbiological risk, but formats, availability and official recommendations differ by country.
Compare pasteurised egg optionsUse the storage and freshness checker for refrigerated storage windows, freezing advice, carton dates and signs that mean an egg should be discarded.
Open the storage checkerRegional references