Eggs are a food very subject to contamination, how to decorate them safely with children? How long can they be kept once cooked and decorated? Let's see some simple but basic tips to avoid infections
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In the days leading up to Easter it is a tradition in many families to color the shells of chicken eggs to create Easter decorations or fill delicious wicker baskets. In this article we have told you about the most effective methods for dyeing egg shells in a natural and sustainable way using flowers, herbs and vegetables.
But you have to be very careful when handling raw eggs - especially if it is small children who do not have the precautions that an adult might have. Eggs, in fact, can be a vehicle for bacteria that are dangerous to health, which can cause infections and poisoning. Example of this is the bacterium of salmonella, which can be found both outside and inside the raw egg.
Prepare eggs safely
Before proceeding with the decoration of the eggs, let's make sure that the shells are not cracked at any point: dangerous bacteria could have contaminated the inside of the egg by passing through the small crack. If the egg is even slightly broken, it is better not to use it.
Also important is thehand hygiene and of the utensils used during the decoration of the eggs:
- both small and large should wash their hands well with soap and water before and after handling the eggs;
- it is also essential to sanitize all the tools (brushes, cutlery, saucepans) and the surfaces that have been in contact with the eggs to minimize the risk of food infection.
To ward off the risk of infection during the decoration operations with children, it is preferable to boil the eggs until they become hard-boiled: in this way any bacteria will be eliminated. To do this, place the eggs in a pan with warm water (the eggs must be covered with water) and bring to a boil.
How much and how do you keep hard-boiled eggs in the fridge?
Turn off the heat five minutes after boiling and leave the eggs in the water for another ten minutes. After this time, the eggs can be cooled with a jet of cold water and can be stored in the refrigerator (not in the door) up to a week to be consumed safely.
If not stored in the refrigerator, hard-boiled eggs can only be stored for a few hours, after which time they can no longer be consumed. So, if we are organizing an egg "hunt", let's make sure that everything takes place at most in a couple of hours, so as not to have to throw away the hardened eggs. In this time, let's make sure that the eggs have not been contaminated by the possible presence of pets.
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If, on the other hand, we intend to organize a "hunt" that lasts longer or if we want to use painted eggs as a decoration for the house, it would be advisable to pierce and empty them with the help of a syringe, before proceeding anyway to boiling the shell to sterilize it and eliminate any bacteria. Remember that egg shells alone will be more delicate and fragile than hard-boiled eggs.
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Source: FDA
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- Why do we eat eggs at Easter?
- How to color eggs for Easter naturally.
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