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Whether you scramble, fry or poach them, or use them to make the ubiquitous Aussie sponge cake, eggs are clearly a favourite part of the Australian diet. But they are also coming under increasing scrutiny as a potential health risk.

Eggs from healthy hens are generally sterile, but the shells can come into contact with faecal matter during laying. And if the shell cracks when it is collected or washed, harmful microorganisms can enter the egg.

According to Dr Kapil Chousalkar, a Postdoctoral Researcher from the University of New England, the main risks are Salmonella and E. coli.

“These are the most common bacteria found in commercial egg production systems and they can cause serious food poisoning in humans,” he said.

Australia is fortunate compared with many other countries in that we produce eggs that are extremely safe. However, food poisoning outbreaks, such as Salmonella, are often blamed on eggs even though the causes are not always confirmed.

Kapil’s project involves screening eggs from various parts of Australia and checking for the presence of organisms that cause food poisoning.

“I hope to identify in these organisms the genes that cause food poisoning, as well as the genes responsible for antibiotic resistance,” he said.“This will help farmers adopt more effective antibiotic regimes and minimise the incidence of egg related food poisoning.”

“The public expects its food to be safe to eat–this project will enhance their confidence in the egg industry.”

*case study from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Bureau of Rural Sciences