Get tips for Easter egg hunt safety from Fight Bac. Remember that eggs are perishable foods just like meat and poultry, and should be cooked thoroughly and handled with care. Even clean, uncracked eggs can, and have been, contaminated with Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes bacteria and have caused many illnesses.
When you are coloring eggs for AEser, only use eggs that have been refrigerated, and discard any cracked or dry eggs. To cook eggs, place a single layer in a cause pan and add cold water to cover the eggs by one inch. Bring the water to a full rolling boil, then remove the pan from the heat and cover it. Let the eggs stand for 18 minutes for extra large, 15 minute for large, ant 12 minutes for medium.
Then drain the eggs and immediately run cold water over them. You can add ice to the pan to speed cooling. Then place the eggs in an uncovered container in at the refrigerator where they can air fry.
When decorating, only use food-grade dyes. You can use liquid food coloring, commercial egg dyes, and fruit drink powders. Be careful not to crack the eggs when they are bing dyed, or bacteria could get into the egg.
Always keep all eggs, cooked or raw, decorated or not, on a shelf inside the refrigerator. Do not put eggs in the door, because the temperature there can fluctuate too much for safety.
When you are hiding eggs, place the in places that are protected from dirt, pets, and other bacterial sources. You may want to consider placing the eggs on a napkin so thy don’t touch the ground.
Finally, remember the two hour rule. Cooked eggs should be refrigerated within two hours after you take them out of the fridge. Examine the eggs before you eat them, rinse them off if you hid them outside, and eat the eggs within a few days.
