Should You Be Cooking Eggs Differently? What You Need to Know About Eggs and the Bird Flu Right Now

Is the bird flu affecting your eggs? Should you eat runny eggs right now? We asked the experts.

Avian Influenza, commonly known as bird flu, is spreading from farm to farm across the United States, with 48 states reporting cases and more than 96 million birds affected. Bird flu is spread by migrating waterfowl (ducks, geese, and other aquatic birds) leaving infected droppings on farmland, says Jeanine Flaherty, Vital Farms vice president of food safety and quality assurance. Flaherty also notes that cases typically spike during bird migration periods in the spring and fall.

Marc Dresner, director of integrated communications at the American Egg Board, says the virus is nearly always fatal to chickens, and the USDA requires emergency depopulation after a case is found to prevent the spread to neighboring farms. Egg farmers across the nation are investing millions of dollars in biosecurity measures to prevent the spread of the bird flu, he says.

Meet the Experts

• Jeanine Flaherty is the vice president of food safety and quality assurance at Vital Farms, an ethical food manufacturer that produces eggs and butter.
• Marc Dresner is the director of integrated communications at the American Egg Board.

Despite these precautions, in its many variations, the bird flu has still affected other farm animals as well, most recently with 12 states reporting cases in dairy cows. With cases and variants spreading, it’s natural to wonder what risks consumers face and if there will be serious effects on our ability to buy fresh eggs and dairy products. Keep reading to learn key info about bird flu and how it’s affecting consumers.

What risks does bird flu pose to consumers?

According to the CDC, public health risk remains low, with only four reported cases of humans contracting the virus due to prolonged exposure to infected birds or livestock. Dresner says the public can be confident in the eggs at the grocery store, and that the likelihood that eggs from infected poultry end up in the retail market is low thanks to to extensive safeguards, including testing of flocks and federal inspection programs.

If cases of bird flu are found on farms with egg-laying hens, Dresner says the specific farm and the USDA work quickly to respond to the problem and recover the farm’s healthy chickens, which also lessens negative effects on the egg supply chain. According to Flaherty, if any chicken on a Vital Farms property is found to have the virus, all eggs from the farm are discarded.

How Bird Flu Is Affecting Consumers and the Supply Chain

Because of flock testing, inspections, and quick responses to bird flu cases, Dresner says one of the few negative impacts on the supply chain was increased prices. He says some cases of bird flu created an intermittent disruption in the egg supply, which temporarily led to higher egg prices. However, he says the U.S. egg supply is still strong, with approximately 300 million hens laying eggs across the country, so there’s no need to worry about whether the egg shelves at your grocery store will be stocked.

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Preparing and Cooking Eggs

According to the FDA, there is no evidence that bird flu is transmitted through properly handled and cooked eggs. This doesn’t mean there aren’t precautions consumers can and should take, though. To properly handle your eggs, keep them in their carton in a refrigerator lower than 40°F. They can be cooked and eaten for up to three weeks after purchase when kept refrigerated; make sure to not leave them out on the counter for more than two hours.

When cooking eggs, both the egg white and yolk should be cooked until firm—that means no runny centers. And scrambled eggs should not be runny, either. Egg dishes and casseroles should be cooked to at least 160°F, per the FDA, and if saved for leftovers, should be reheated to at least 165°F. These FDA recommendations apply to all egg dishes, all the time: To truly follow all best practices to avoid foodborne illnesses, you should always make sure eggs are fully cooked (or otherwise treated). Yes, that means no runny eggs—sorry, brunchers.

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