Is It Safe to Eat Raw Eggs In Ice Cream (Homemade – The Truth!)

Do you know if it is safe to eat raw eggs in ice cream is? this is one of the questions our readers ask a lot. Well, we´ve got you covered.

Homemade ice cream is a family tradition for many. Eggs are a vital ingredient in homemade ice cream. It makes it rich and creamy, and it can last on the counter much longer than ice cream with no eggs.

The unique chemical makeup of eggs acts as the perfect agent to take your ice cream to the next level.

So, is it safe to eat raw eggs in ice cream? Eggs must be cooked in order to be safe to consume. It’s important to follow food safety guidelines to make sure you aren’t accidentally getting a side of Salmonella along with your scoops of vanilla. That means your raw egg ice cream recipes need some adjustments. But there are simple ways to change your recipe so that you and your family stay safe.

Read on to find out how to make your delicious treat safely!

Why Use Eggs In Homemade Ice Cream?

Have you noticed that some recipes for homemade ice cream melt quickly, while others can last half an hour on the counter? Or that certain recipes are incredibly rich while others fall short?

The secret ingredient here is eggs.

Egg yolks serve several purposes in homemade ice cream recipes.

Chemical Makeup

Besides water, egg yolks mostly consist of protein and fat. Fat doesn’t freeze as hard as water, so it makes the ice cream nice and creamy. It is softer than ice cream that doesn’t have eggs.

Protein, on the other hand, turns into a thick gel when it’s cooked. This gel prevents ice crystals from getting chunky in the ice cream.

Eggs yolks also have a lot of emulsifiers in them. The main emulsifier in egg yolks is lecithin. Lecithin binds fat and water to make it creamy.

Read also: Are Kirkland Eggs Pasteurized?

What Makes Raw Eggs Unsafe?

Fresh eggs, even if they have no cracks and are clean, might have bacteria called Salmonella which can cause food poisoning.

There are regulations in place to help lower the spread of Salmonella on farms and in shipment, but it is also up to us, as individuals, to keep ourselves safe.

What is Salmonella?

Salmonella is the name of a group of bacteria. It is a common reason behind food poisoning. Symptoms improve within 4 to 7 days and can get better without intervention. But some people get so sick that they have to be hospitalized.

People with weakened immune systems, pregnant people, older adults, and children are at greater risk of developing a severe illness from Salmonella consumption.

Read also: Are Kirkland Eggs Cage-Free?

How to Safely Use Eggs In Homemade Ice Cream

So, you have a beloved family recipe that uses eggs. No way you’re giving that up! 

No worries, there’s a very simple way to make that recipe safe.

1. First, combine the milk and egg yolks that the recipe includes. You can also add other things from the recipe like sugar.
2. To separate egg yolks from the egg, first crack the egg very gently towards the middle of the egg. Let the yolk sit in the lower half of the shell while the whites exit the egg. Move the egg yolk back and forth between the two halves of the shell to get rid of any excess whites.
3. Cook all of the combined ingredients on the stovetop until it reaches 160 degrees F. Stir constantly. Cooking to this temperature will kill any Salmonella that may have been in the eggs.
4. If you have a food thermometer, that is your best option to measure to 160 degrees F. If not, wait until the mixture is able to coat a metal spoon firmly.
5. Chill this mixture after you cook it before you add the rest of the ingredients and freeze it.
6. Tip: do this in the morning so that it’s chilled by the time you want to make ice cream in the afternoon.

How Many Eggs?

If you aren’t following a recipe, you will be faced with an important decision: How many egg yolks should you use in your ice cream?

You can use anywhere from two to eight eggs. 

You can use less yolks if you’re going to eat the ice cream soon after making it. The less yolks you use, the more you can taste the other ingredients.

But if you love creamy ice cream and want your ice cream to last, increase the amount of eggs you’re using.

Read also: Where Do Costco Organic Eggs Come From

Final Thoughts

Egg yolks make homemade ice cream delicious! Their chemical makeup creates smooth, rich ice cream with little to no ice crystals. They also create a deeper flavor and ice cream with egg yolks melts less quickly.

However, it’s not safe to eat raw eggs in ice cream. Raw eggs may contain Salmonella, which causes food poisoning that can require hospitalization in some cases.

But you can make your recipe safe by heating up your egg mixture to a temperature of 160 degrees F.

Now you can enjoy your favorite recipes safely!

References

https://eggsafety.org/use-eggs-safely-in-homemade-ice-cream-2/