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What usually causes salmonellosis?

Chicken, eggs, pork, cheese, cantaloupe, tomatoes, alfalfa sprouts, orange juice and cereal have all been linked to outbreaks of salmonellosis. Human carriers can transmit some types of salmonellosis. Salmonella can easily spread from one food to another, too. The majority of reported salmonellosis outbreaks involving eggs or egg-containing foods have occurred in food service kitchens and resulted from inadequate refrigeration, improper handling and/or insufficient cooking. The egg community follows several programs to reduce Salmonella bacteria and produce safe eggs.

Proper cooking and handling of eggs is important to greatly reduce the risk of foodborne illness.  Cook eggs thoroughly until the white and the yolk is firm.  See “Cooking Eggs to the right temperature,” for more details.