# how do they pasteurize eggs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 18, 2004, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-pasteurize-eggs/229894 "2004-02-18T23:39:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Limbo\_Donni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Limbo\_Donni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Limbo_Donni)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2004, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-pasteurize-eggs/229894/1 "2004-02-18T23:39:08Z")
How can they pasteurize eggs in the shell without cooking the egg. They are now in my supermarket and say safer, no salmonela, etc. but not how it’s done. The advice is that even if eggs are fried but sunnyside up and not over is insufficient to be safe. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2004, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-pasteurize-eggs/229894/2 "2004-02-18T23:55:10Z")
According to this: [http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/columnnn/nn030526.html](http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/columnnn/nn030526.html) “Raw eggs are pasteurized in the shell through the use of extended warm-water baths. Once pasteurized, the eggs are cooled to refrigerator temperatures, then coated with an FDA-approved sealant to help prevent future contamination. Pasteurized eggs are identified with a USDA Certified Pasteurize shield stamped on the package (not on each egg).” ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2004, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-they-pasteurize-eggs/229894/3 "2004-02-19T00:15:11Z")
It’s warm enough to kill most of the bacteria, but not warm enough to cook the eggs.