Simple methods for ingesting less bacteria with raw eggyolks

[mario91]

1.) Do the usual test in a bowel/cup... if the egg comes up, throw it away.
2.) Wash the egg shell with soap/detergent and a dish sponge (hard part is better). Run abundant tap water after.
3.) Separe the yolk from the white with your (soap washed) hands. This because, by separating the yolk within shell halves, you'll be exposing the white+yolk to the bacteria that are present in the outer shell. Your washed hands should have much less (harmful) bacteria.

Since i've been doing this, I never had any sing of stomach ache anymore, and I used to have a few before when consuming raw egg yolks. And they don't smell that bad this way, either! I've been consuming 18-20 yolks a day with 0 stomach ache

[overkees]

By warming them up only a little bit, I haven't had any troubles whatsoever. I only eat 6 - 10 yolks though.

[mario91]

Update:

4.) Smell the yolk after you've separated it. If it smells like shit, don't eat it. Some eggs that pass the bowel/cup test AND get washed still smell like shit, so always do this step. (This step is quite questionable though, as the shit smell is something natural of the yolk. But since I've been smelling my yolks, only like 1 in 20 smell like shit, at least to a point that I can detect it. If a lot of your eggs smell like shit to you, it's up to you to decide what to do with them... try eating them and see if they get you cramps... etc.)
5.) Always keep yours eggs in the fridge, and buy the ones with the latest expiration date possible.

By warming them up only a little bit, I haven't had any troubles whatsoever. I only eat 6 - 10 yolks though.

I have my doubts on that, as when I used to do my North Pole eggs, I'd throw 70ºC water into them, froze them (immediatly after) for days, and I still got cramps a few times. Plus this method is much faster and practical.

[Mr. PC]

I've never really had consistent issues with bacteria, but I never have more than 8 yolks. I've considered not eating the ones that taste bad, but it feels like such a waste.

For me the number 1 is to get free range / vegetarian fed eggs. This way you're also supporting ethical farming practices, and the yolks taste way better.

Thanks for the info.

[mario91]

For me the number 1 is to get free range / vegetarian fed eggs. This way you're also supporting ethical farming practices, and the yolks taste way better.

Yeah, thanks, I should have mentioned that! Free-range eggs are also said to have less bacteria, or at least less contamination ratio.


I found a new way to separate yolks in which they smell almost nothing, btw. Without soap, since I'm afraid that soap might enter by the shell pores.
You just break the eggs with a dishwashing glove into a glass/cup. The glove is used not to touch the shell at all, which is where lots of bacteria accumulate. Then, remove the glove and separe the yolks in your hands. Works as good or better than the soap method!

[dime]

That's strange, I've never bothered to be careful with eggs.
I've only ever had problems with eggs when starting again to eat them after a few weeks of no raw eggs.
Do you eat them every day mario? Or more like once-twice a week?

[mario91]

That's strange, I've never bothered to be careful with eggs.
I've only ever had problems with eggs when starting again to eat them after a few weeks of no raw eggs.
Do you eat them every day mario? Or more like once-twice a week?

Yeah, that's when I have the most problems also (cause the body gets untrained), but I've also had problems after several days of eating everyday. I've now been eating eveyday for a few months.

I believe most bacteria (lots of, in fact) are in the outer side of the shell, so these techniques are all to keep those outer shell bacteria to contaminate the egg content. I don't believe the egg content has that much bacteria itself.

[RRM]

I believe most bacteria (lots of, in fact) are in the outer side of the shell, so these techniques are all to keep those outer shell bacteria to contaminate the egg content. I don't believe the egg content has that much bacteria itself.

True, by far most bacteria are on the outside.

[Mr. PC]

Ok, so the simplest way to reduce bacteria for someone who isn't *too* concerned but wouldn't mind reducing it, would be to wash the outsides first. I've sometimes noticed what I assume is poo on the outside of the shell, which can gross me out.

[mario91]

Ok, so the simplest way to reduce bacteria for someone who isn't *too* concerned but wouldn't mind reducing it, would be to wash the outsides first. I've sometimes noticed what I assume is poo on the outside of the shell, which can gross me out.

Sorry, but this thread will never end. I've just found a new way

You don't even need to put the eggs in a container with water to see if they come up. Just make sure to handle them only with your left hand. Break the shell only with your left hand, also. When the shell is well broken, place the egg in the palm of your right hand, not touching the fingers of that hand. Separate the egg by pulling the upper half with your left hand. Again: don't touch the egg with your right hand fingers, cause now you will throw the whole egg content on those fingers, and let the white drain through them. Then smell the yolk. If it doesn't smell that bad, it's good to eat raw. Wash your hands after.

This might sound stupid, but it's the simplest and most effective method I've found so far.

See you next week with a new method

[Mr. PC]

Sounds like it would require a bit of dexterity. I feel like the egg would slip out of the palm of my right hand when I drop it from the shell. I usually roll the yolk back and forth between my hands in order to get rid of the whites, and then suck the yolk straight out of the bag in my hand, so I'm thinking your method won't work as well for me.

I image after you do that you put the yolk-bag onto a paper towel?

[mario91]

Sounds like it would require a bit of dexterity. I feel like the egg would slip out of the palm of my right hand when I drop it from the shell. I usually roll the yolk back and forth between my hands in order to get rid of the whites, and then suck the yolk straight out of the bag in my hand, so I'm thinking your method won't work as well for me.

I image after you do that you put the yolk-bag onto a paper towel?

You're not getting it right. Not only your fault, since my explanation wasn't totally clear. This method is actually hard to explain perfectly by words, specially when english is not your native language.
It doesn't require much dexterity. Just pick an egg from the fridge with your left hand, break it, and then place it (the whole egg, including shell) on your right hand's palm, holding it there by making a little pit with the palm. Then, with your left hand, remove the upper half of the shell. Then pick what's left of the egg with your left hand, and throw the content onto your right hands' fingers, and let the white drain through. The egg content never touches the palm of your right hand.

After that, I put the yolk wherever I wanna eat it... juice bottle, plate with mashed bananas, etc. I don't remove the bag, but you can do it easily by piercing it with a fork (still holding the yolk with your right hand's fingers) and let the yolk drain to wherever you want.

[dime]

Maybe I don't have any problems because I never touch the egg yolk contents? I do touch the egg yolk, but the contents is protected inside the bag. Once I get rid of the white, I drain the contents without touching it, and then throw the sac.

[mario91]

Maybe I don't have any problems because I never touch the egg yolk contents? I do touch the egg yolk, but the contents is protected inside the bag. Once I get rid of the white, I drain the contents without touching it, and then throw the sac.

I used to do it exactly that way, and still had cramps. Maybe the yolk sac is not strong enough to protect the yolk against the bacteria of the outer shell. But hey, if you don't have any problems, than no need to use any of these methods, I guess

[Mr. PC]

I'm still unable to understand your method Mario91. In the first step, you crack the egg with your left hand. Does this cracking cause the egg to break in half evenly? My eggs don't do that.

Right now I'm running tap water, and juggling the yolk between my hands, rinsing the empty hand while the white drain out.