Raw & Runny Eggs
Everyday exposureFood & drinkAlso called · 9 names▾▴
raw eggs, runny eggs, soft boiled eggs, undercooked eggs, runny yolk, homemade mayonnaise, raw egg dressing, raw egg aioli, tiramisu
Eggs, dough & leftovers
General information · effects depend on amount, timing, and how it is used. About these sources
Research strength: 4 / 5
FoodSafety.gov says undercooked eggs may contain Salmonella and advises firm yolks and whites; it gives 160°F for egg dishes and pasteurized eggs in raw or lightly cooked recipes. CDC gives 165°F if an egg dish contains meat or poultry, and 160°F otherwise; FDA gives similar cooking and pasteurization advice. ACOG's pregnancy page advises against all raw or undercooked eggs and does not mention a pasteurized-egg exception. NHS allows raw or runny hen eggs from the red British Lion or Laid in Britain schemes before the use-by date; UKHSA and the Food Standards Agency say to cook eggs fully when the scheme cannot be confirmed while eating out. These sources differ on exceptions, while all describe cooking as a way to reduce infection risk. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-18
Sources
- FoodSafety.gov: People at Risk, Pregnant Women
- FDA: What You Need to Know About Egg SafetyUS government
- CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant WomenUS government
- ACOG: Listeria and PregnancyProfessional society
- UKHSA and FSA: Salmonella outbreak update (egg advice)UK government
- NHS: Foods to Avoid in PregnancyUK government
- Marcus et al., Epidemiology and Infection (2007), FoodNet case-control studyUS government
Research strength: 4 / 5
FoodSafety.gov says undercooked eggs may contain Salmonella and advises firm yolks and whites; it gives 160°F for egg dishes and pasteurized eggs in raw or lightly cooked recipes. CDC gives 165°F if an egg dish contains meat or poultry, and 160°F otherwise; FDA gives similar cooking and pasteurization advice. ACOG's pregnancy page advises against all raw or undercooked eggs and does not mention a pasteurized-egg exception. NHS allows raw or runny hen eggs from the red British Lion or Laid in Britain schemes before the use-by date; UKHSA and the Food Standards Agency say to cook eggs fully when the scheme cannot be confirmed while eating out. These sources differ on exceptions, while all describe cooking as a way to reduce infection risk. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-18
Sources
- FoodSafety.gov: People at Risk, Pregnant Women
- FDA: What You Need to Know About Egg SafetyUS government
- CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant WomenUS government
- ACOG: Listeria and PregnancyProfessional society
- UKHSA and FSA: Salmonella outbreak update (egg advice)UK government
- NHS: Foods to Avoid in PregnancyUK government
- Marcus et al., Epidemiology and Infection (2007), FoodNet case-control studyUS government
Research strength: 4 / 5
FoodSafety.gov says undercooked eggs may contain Salmonella and advises firm yolks and whites; it gives 160°F for egg dishes and pasteurized eggs in raw or lightly cooked recipes. CDC gives 165°F if an egg dish contains meat or poultry, and 160°F otherwise; FDA gives similar cooking and pasteurization advice. ACOG's pregnancy page advises against all raw or undercooked eggs and does not mention a pasteurized-egg exception. NHS allows raw or runny hen eggs from the red British Lion or Laid in Britain schemes before the use-by date; UKHSA and the Food Standards Agency say to cook eggs fully when the scheme cannot be confirmed while eating out. These sources differ on exceptions, while all describe cooking as a way to reduce infection risk. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-18
Sources
- FoodSafety.gov: People at Risk, Pregnant Women
- FDA: What You Need to Know About Egg SafetyUS government
- CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant WomenUS government
- ACOG: Listeria and PregnancyProfessional society
- UKHSA and FSA: Salmonella outbreak update (egg advice)UK government
- NHS: Foods to Avoid in PregnancyUK government
- Marcus et al., Epidemiology and Infection (2007), FoodNet case-control studyUS government
Raw & Runny Eggs — Breastfeeding
Research strength: 2 / 5
FDA says raw eggs may carry Salmonella, a germ that causes foodborne illness. MotherToBaby reports case reports suggesting Salmonella might pass to a nursing child, but says most women with these infections do not need to stop breastfeeding. CDC says a nursing mother with diarrhea from food or water sources can continue breastfeeding and increase fluids; its no-transfer statement is specific to travelers' diarrhea. Chen et al. reported one infant infection linked to contaminated breast milk, but the case does not estimate how often transmission happens or link it to eggs. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-18
Sources
- FDA: What You Need to Know About Egg SafetyUS government
- MotherToBaby: Eating Raw, Undercooked, or Cold Meats and Seafood fact sheetTeratology service
- CDC: Foodborne and Waterborne Illness and BreastfeedingUS government
- Chen et al., Journal of Clinical Microbiology (2005), Salmonella case reportUS government
Pregnancy
Marcus et al. published a population-based case-control study in 2007 using 2002-2003 data from five FoodNet sites. The PubMed abstract reports 218 cases and 742 controls and says that, among people who had not traveled internationally, eating undercooked eggs at home was associated with Salmonella Enteritidis infection. This was a general foodborne-infection study, not a study of pregnant people or pregnancy outcomes, and its abstract gives no risk estimate for one serving. FoodSafety.gov, CDC, and FDA advise cooking eggs until yolks and whites are firm and using pasteurized eggs in raw or lightly cooked recipes. CDC gives 165°F when an egg dish contains meat or poultry and 160°F otherwise; FoodSafety.gov gives 160°F for egg dishes. ACOG's pregnancy page advises against all raw or undercooked eggs without stating an exception for pasteurized egg recipes. NHS and UKHSA/FSA allow raw or lightly cooked hen eggs only under named UK assurance schemes; UKHSA/FSA says to choose fully cooked eggs when the scheme cannot be checked while eating out.
Breastfeeding
The primary evidence found for Salmonella passing through breast milk includes a 2005 case report of one newborn with Salmonella meningitis after consuming contaminated maternal milk; the report identified Salmonella in the infant and milk. It does not identify raw eggs as the source or estimate how often transmission occurs. MotherToBaby's February 2026 page notes case reports suggesting transmission and says most women with these infections do not need to stop breastfeeding. CDC's September 2025 page says a nursing mother with food- or water-related diarrhea can continue breastfeeding and increase fluids; its no-transfer statement is specifically about travelers' diarrhea.
This entry covers raw or partly cooked eggs, including runny yolks, and foods made with uncooked eggs. FDA says fresh eggs, even those with clean, uncracked shells, may contain Salmonella. FDA and FoodSafety.gov describe pasteurized shell eggs or egg products as options for recipes served raw or lightly cooked.
What was tested
Marcus et al. used a population-based case-control design across five FoodNet sites and enrolled 218 people with Salmonella Enteritidis infection and 742 controls in 2002-2003. The abstract notes an association between undercooked eggs eaten at home and infection among people who had not traveled internationally. The study was not designed to measure pregnancy outcomes. Chen et al. reported one newborn case with matching Salmonella from the infant's infection and maternal milk; the case report did not assess raw egg exposure.
Whether pasteurized eggs may be used in recipes served raw during pregnancy
- Source A says
- FoodSafety.gov, FDA, and CDC say recipes containing raw or lightly cooked eggs can use pasteurized eggs or egg products. (FoodSafety.gov: People at Risk, Pregnant Women, FDA: What You Need to Know About Egg Safety, CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women)
- Source B says
- ACOG advises against all raw or undercooked eggs during pregnancy and does not state an exception for pasteurized egg recipes. (ACOG: Listeria and Pregnancy FAQ)
- Why they differ
- ACOG gives broad advice on its Listeria and pregnancy page. FoodSafety.gov, FDA, and CDC describe pasteurized eggs as a risk-reducing option for recipes served raw or lightly cooked.
- What the evidence shows overall
- ACOG presents the more restrictive wording, while U.S. food agencies describe pasteurized eggs as an option for recipes served raw. The difference is shown rather than treated as a general endorsement of raw eggs.
Whether raw or runny hen eggs from named UK schemes are permitted during pregnancy
- Source A says
- U.S. FoodSafety.gov, FDA, and CDC guidance describes firm-cooked or pasteurized eggs and does not give a British egg-scheme exception. (FoodSafety.gov: People at Risk, Pregnant Women, FDA: What You Need to Know About Egg Safety, CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women)
- Source B says
- NHS and UKHSA/FSA allow raw or lightly cooked hen eggs from the red British Lion or Laid in Britain schemes before the use-by date. UKHSA/FSA says to choose fully cooked eggs when the scheme cannot be checked while eating out. (NHS: Foods to Avoid in Pregnancy, UK Health Security Agency and Food Standards Agency: Salmonella outbreak update)
- Why they differ
- NHS and UKHSA/FSA limit their exception to named UK hen-egg assurance schemes they say are less likely to contain Salmonella. The U.S. pages give general advice for eggs available to U.S. consumers.
- Other sources
- A 2007 U.S. FoodNet case-control study also associated undercooked eggs eaten at home with Salmonella Enteritidis infection among people who had not traveled internationally. (Marcus et al., Epidemiology and Infection (2007), FoodNet case-control study)
- What the evidence shows overall
- The evidence supports a real Salmonella illness risk from undercooked eggs, and the public guidance names ways to reduce it. The UK exception is narrow and depends on the egg scheme being known; it does not apply to other eggs or unknown egg provenance.
Salmonella transmission during breastfeeding
- Source A says
- CDC says a nursing mother with diarrhea from food or water sources can continue breastfeeding; its statement that organisms do not pass through milk is about travelers' diarrhea. (CDC: Foodborne and Waterborne Illness and Breastfeeding)
- Source B says
- MotherToBaby describes case reports suggesting Salmonella can pass to a nursing child, and a primary case report linked a newborn infection to contaminated maternal milk. (MotherToBaby: Eating Raw, Undercooked, or Cold Meats and Seafood fact sheet, Chen et al., Journal of Clinical Microbiology (2005), Salmonella case report)
- Why they differ
- CDC's no-transfer statement is specific to travelers' diarrhea. MotherToBaby and the case report discuss Salmonella specifically. A case report shows that transmission can occur but cannot estimate its frequency.
- What the evidence shows overall
- These statements are not directly opposed when their pathogen scope is kept clear. MotherToBaby says most women with Salmonella do not need to stop breastfeeding, and CDC says breastfeeding can continue during food- or water-related diarrhea. The single milk-transfer case does not show how often transmission occurs or link it to eating eggs.
- FoodSafety.gov says to cook eggs until both yolks and whites are firm, cook egg dishes to 160°F (71°C), and use pasteurized eggs for foods containing raw or lightly cooked eggs. (FoodSafety.gov)
- FDA says to wash hands, utensils, equipment, and work surfaces with hot, soapy water after contact with raw eggs, and to use pasteurized shell eggs or egg products in recipes served raw or undercooked. (FDA)
- NHS permits raw or runny hen eggs only with the red British Lion stamp or under the Laid in Britain scheme, before the use-by date; it advises well-cooked eggs otherwise. (NHS)
- CDC says nursing mothers with diarrhea caused by food or water sources can continue breastfeeding and increase fluids to prevent dehydration. (CDC)
- ACOG advises against raw or undercooked eggs during pregnancy on its Listeria and pregnancy page. (ACOG)
- UKHSA and the Food Standards Agency say pregnant people should have raw or lightly cooked eggs only from the British Lion or Laid in Britain schemes; when eating out and the scheme is unknown, they say to choose fully cooked eggs. (UK Health Security Agency and Food Standards Agency)
General research, not specific to pregnancy.
FDA says raw eggs may carry Salmonella and cause foodborne illness outside pregnancy as well.
- FDA says fresh eggs, even with clean, uncracked shells, may contain Salmonella. It lists children, older adults, pregnant people, and people with weakened immune systems as groups at greater risk for severe illness. (FDA: What You Need to Know About Egg Safety)
Experiences from moms and non-medical voices. Not medical evidence.
- FoodSafety.gov: People at Risk, Pregnant WomenSecondaryPage dated 2026-10-05
- FDA: What You Need to Know About Egg SafetyUS governmentSecondary
- CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant WomenUS governmentSecondaryPage dated 2025-01-31
- NHS: Foods to Avoid in PregnancyUK governmentSecondaryPage dated 2026-06-15Independent check
- Marcus et al., Epidemiology and Infection (2007), FoodNet case-control studyUS governmentPrimaryIndependent check
- MotherToBaby: Eating Raw, Undercooked, or Cold Meats and Seafood fact sheetTeratology serviceSecondaryPage dated 2026-02-01
- CDC: Foodborne and Waterborne Illness and BreastfeedingUS governmentSecondaryPage dated 2025-09-23Independent check
- Chen et al., Journal of Clinical Microbiology (2005), Salmonella case reportUS governmentPrimaryIndependent check
- ACOG: Listeria and Pregnancy FAQProfessional societySecondaryIndependent check
- UK Health Security Agency and Food Standards Agency: Salmonella outbreak updateUK governmentSecondaryPage dated 2026-09-17Independent check
Last reviewed 2026-10-18
Independent check 2026-10-18
Not yet clinician-reviewed
Ask your provider about your situation.