The salmonella danger from consuming an undercooked tortilla: “It has to go from the pan to the plate, not saved for the subsequent day”


The uncooked egg can current ‘Salmonella’, the micro organism liable for one of the vital frequent and widespread meals poisoning. Is it suitable for eating the thinly curdled potato omelette? A meals technologist solutions all questions at NIUS

The egg is among the meals most definitely to include Salmonella, a bacterium that lives within the intestines of animals and that “can contaminate the egg shell, both via the hen’s oviduct, that’s, on the time of hatching.” laid, or as soon as deposited within the nest”, clarifies the professional.

It is estimated that about 2% of laying hen flocks are contaminated by this bacterium in our nation. “And if the chickens are carriers, their eggs will most definitely be contaminated,” says Robles.

It can also be one thing unimaginable to detect at first look. “Salmonella doesn’t produce any alteration within the shell, or within the egg, or within the product as soon as cooked. In different phrases, it may be cooked, contaminated with salmonella, and never comprehend it as a result of it doesn’t produce odors, unusual flavors, or texture adjustments, nothing.”

We are coping with a “pretty frequent and widespread” illness that’s solely detected when its signs seem -fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and stomach pain-, which though typically should not severe, on events, after they have an effect on kids, immunocompromised individuals or the aged, the dehydration it causes may even endanger life.

“If the egg is contaminated and isn’t dealt with correctly, it could possibly trigger severe poisoning,” he factors out.

How ought to we deal with eggs earlier than cooking them? Always maintain them within the fridge and wash them underneath the faucet with chilly water simply earlier than cooking them. Discard these which can be damaged or whose shell is fragmented. Do not crack them in the identical container by which we’re going to beat them later to keep away from cross contamination. Avoid any contact of the uncooked egg with different meals, particularly with meals which have already been cooked or others that won’t endure warmth remedy, resembling greens in a salad, for instance.

“When I say that contact with different meals have to be prevented, I imply each the shell and the already open egg,” provides the specialist. “We nonetheless suppose ‘how can I contaminate a salad with an already opened egg?’ Well, it could possibly occur, as a result of contamination also can happen not directly. That is, you beat the egg in a bowl after which put a salad in that bowl with out having beforehand washed it. Or you employ a fork to beat it that you just then use to eat the salad, otherwise you put the fork with which you have got overwhelmed the egg on the counter, stained, and then you definitely put one other meals there with out realizing it. All this have to be prevented “.

What is the correct cooking to keep away from salmonellosis?

There is a option to eradicate this micro organism and, subsequently, the chance of meals poisoning: “Cook it at a temperature adequate to destroy the micro organism. And what’s that temperature? It has to achieve 70ºC or extra for two seconds within the heart of the product, particulars the meals technologist. “Or a temperature of 63ºC for 20 seconds within the heart of the meals if consumption goes to be instant.

How can we ensure that now we have destroyed it? “When the yolk and the white are fully curdled, as a result of we all know that each curdle beneath that temperature. This will point out, as a witness, that the temperature has been adequate to destroy the micro organism,” he specifies.

“And that is the place the issue comes with the marginally curdled tortillas,” Robles insists. “That people who many like, those that we open and the liquid egg comes out, haven’t reached the precise temperature to kill the micro organism, and whereas we eat them like this, there’s a danger of affected by salmonellosis.”

“In addition, if these temperature necessities should not met, Royal Decree 1254/1991, which has been just lately up to date, establishes that contemporary eggs can’t be used. It can be obligatory to make use of an egg product, that’s, pasteurized egg, which we normally know like an egg,” he explains.

“In conclusion, in eating places there may by no means be barely curdled tortillas except they’re made with pasteurized egg. And in that case there can be no drawback, as a result of because the egg is already pasteurized, this destruction of the microorganism has already been ensured, however there are, as a result of they break the foundations”.

How to maintain the tortilla as soon as made within the catering trade?

For eating places, the identical rule establishes that if there may be an egg or an egg product in a recipe, it have to be saved at a most temperature of 8ºC. That is, it needs to be refrigerated. “Once we end the tortilla, we should put it within the fridge till it’s consumed,” he warns.

That picture that we’re used to seeing of a tortilla on the counter is “horrible”, acknowledges Robles, except, in fact, the counter is refrigerated, however the fact is that many eating places commit offenses of this sort, “he laments .

“In different meals issues of safety, self-control is admitted. That is, you identify your good practices and validate them and that is it, however they aren’t legally standardized for everybody. However, within the case of eggs, it’s legally established cooking temperature and storage temperature afterwards as a result of severe penalties it could have for public well being”.

At house, in the future within the fridge whether it is curdled, if not, within the trash

“At house we must always adjust to the identical guidelines,” defends Robles. “Identical suggestions in dealing with, cooking and the duty to maintain it within the fridge till earlier than consuming it. And it is not price taking it out of the fridge and having it on the desk for 2 hours as a result of it poses a danger. You must take it out, serve it and put it within the fridge instantly, and if somebody desires extra we take it out once more and that is it”, he suggests.

Another vital factor is that “as soon as the advice is made, it might be to eat it inside a most interval of 24 hours so long as it’s nicely curdled,” he stresses. “If it’s undercooked, it must be consumed at that second. It must go from the pan to the plate and what’s left over must be thrown away. It may by no means be saved for the subsequent day.”

“The similar occurs with fried eggs or mayonnaise, meals which can be barely curdled or with uncooked eggs have to be consumed instantly. And all the time keep away from giving them to danger teams, very younger kids, immunosuppressed individuals, the aged and pregnant”, he provides.

Is it extra harmful to eat undercooked tortillas in winter or summer season?

“It’s all the time simply as harmful, however it’s true {that a} salmonellosis an infection is extra probably in summer season,” explains the specialist. The purpose is that Salmonella is a bacterium that reproduces very nicely at room temperature, and the warmer it’s, the quicker it does. “If now we have a single Salmonella cell we’re not going to get sick. At least roughly 1,000,000 micro organism, models of Salmonella are wanted to make us sick. They appear to be loads however they’re simply reached with favorable situations as a result of they develop exponentially,” he clarifies. the meals technologist.

Can we endure salmonellosis from consuming a pre-cooked tortilla?

“No, to start with as a result of within the grocery store I’ve by no means seen a tortilla with little curd, exactly as a result of they must adjust to the laws,” Robles advances. “But if that had been the case, there can be no hazard both as a result of it might all the time be made with pasteurized egg.”

“In this sense, the meals trade provides rather more ensures than eating places or bars, as a result of it has all of the rather more standardized procedures to keep away from poisoning. It is logical. This trade serves many extra diners, with which the issue can be exponential. It can be a lot greater. So you need to safe all processes,” he explains. “The similar must occur within the hospitality trade, however sadly right here there may be extra variability.”

“Therefore, reassure all those that devour such a product offered in supermarkets and on different surfaces.” “Although that’s,” she alerts. “We should all the time be extraordinarily scrupulous with dealing with, that’s, keep the chilly chain, instantly to the fridge as quickly as you get house. If you give us an expiration date, respect it as a lot as potential. At the second we open it, comply with the directions on the bundle and devour it throughout the interval that we’re advised”, he particulars. “Until the second we purchase it, it’s protected, from then on, it relies on us, on the dealing with we do at house,” he concludes.