In recent years, a type of 'raw-eatable' egg has appeared in some offline supermarkets and e-commerce platforms, and it has gained popularity among some consumers. Are eggs really that different?

In fact, raw-eatable eggs, besides their literal meaning of being edible raw, also represent a set of production standards in the egg industry. This includes the source of the laying hens, feed and water quality, chicken coop hygiene, and a complete evaluation system for the final eggs. This standard originates from Japan, and eggs produced under this standard do not contain Salmonella and have no eggy smell. The difference between 'raw-eatable eggs' and 'ordinary eggs' mainly lies in the stricter hygiene indicators for the former.

'Raw-eatable' signifies cleanliness and hygiene. Will consumers be willing to pay a high price for these? Many people are indeed willing to spend more on expensive eggs; it seems that 'sterile eggs' or 'raw-eatable' implies better quality.

For example, many fitness enthusiasts and those pursuing a quality lifestyle have expressed their willingness to pay for clean, high-quality eggs.

However, from a nutritional value perspective, one misconception that needs clarification is that the popular 'raw-eatable eggs' do not necessarily mean they are 'the most nutritious when eaten raw.' In the eyes of nutrition experts, the nutritional components of raw-eatable eggs may not be higher than those of ordinary eggs; they are just more suitable for certain special scenarios. For instance, in some dishes where raw egg liquid is used as a dip, raw-eatable eggs have stricter pathogen indicators to meet these scenarios.

So what kind of egg can be considered high quality? Cleanliness should come first. Eggs can easily be contaminated with Salmonella; infection can lead to symptoms such as fever, diarrhea, and vomiting.

However, currently in our country, we implement the Food Safety Standard GB2749 for Eggs and Egg Products. This standard does not specify concrete requirements regarding the number of Salmonella or other microorganisms.

Professor Yang Yanjun from Jiangnan University’s School of Food Science stated:

Currently in our country's standards for eggs and egg products there are no clear regulations regarding Salmonella or other pathogens in fresh eggs. This has led some consumers to eat undercooked eggs such as soft-boiled or poached ones which may still contain Salmonella and pose certain safety risks to human health.

Recently, the Shanghai Food Safety Work Joint Association collaborated with the Egg Industry Quality Alliance and related egg production enterprises to jointly formulate and release the Group Standard and Operating Specifications for High-Quality Clean Eggs.

The production process of eggs is prone to contamination by Salmonella. Contaminated eggs have become one of the significant sources of foodborne Salmonella infections. The recently launched group standard for high-quality clean eggs in Shanghai focuses on how to prevent Salmonella contamination.

Gu Zhenhua, President of Shanghai Food Safety Work Joint Association:

Fresh eggs must undergo inspection to eliminate any cracked bad ones and must be cleaned and disinfected. After disinfection, they will be coated with a food safety film so that these eggs can meet normal shelf life requirements. Additionally, this standard sets very high regulations on how to prevent contamination by Salmonella during storage, transportation, and sales processes throughout the entire sales process.

It is understood that relevant indicators in the new standard are not lower than existing national standards; some are even stricter. It specifies limits on Salmonella levels present on clean eggs as well as requirements for cleaning/disinfection during processing along with packaging storage transportation requirements and microbial monitoring requirements.

Gu Zhenhua, President of Shanghai Food Safety Work Joint Association:

'The strictest standard is that no Salmonella should be detected per every 50 square centimeters; there is actually no concept of sterile eggs—these just reduce the risk of Salmonella contamination.'

'Industry insiders state that there is no concept of 'sterile egg'; it is impossible for an egg to be completely free from any bacteria. Moreover, cooked eggs are more beneficial for health. High-temperature cooking can kill most pathogens present in an egg while proteins in cooked eggs are easier for humans to absorb and digest. It has been calculated that protein digestibility absorption rate in cooked eggs reaches up to 97%, while raw egg protein absorption rate due to protease inhibitors is only half that of cooked ones. For groups like elderly people or children—besides food safety considerations—it’s also more suitable nutritionally to consume cooked eggs.'