As of
November 30, 2000, The
FDA has mandated that all
egg cartons in the
United States carry this message:
To prevent illness from bacteria: Keep eggs refrigerated, cook eggs until yolks are firm, and cook foods containing eggs thoroughly.
"You just need to cook your eggs thoroughly - no sunny-side up, no over-easy," advised FDA Commissioner Jane Henney. "This is a case when it's better to be safe than sorry."
From a USA Today story:
Salmonella illnesses associated with raw or undercooked eggs soared in the 1980s and 1990s, reaching a peak of 3.6 cases for every 100,000 people in 1996. The rate dropped to 2.2 cases per 100,000 people in 1998.
And now you know.