University of Wisconsin - Extension

How can you be sure children color and decorate hard-cooked eggs safely for Easter?

Eggs are frequently handled at Easter time and each time they are handled is one more chance that the eggs might come into contact with bacteria.

The following recommendations of the American Egg Board and UW-Madison/Extension food science specialist Barbara Ingham will help you ensure that Easter eggs are safe for kids to enjoy.

First, Ingham recommends that you begin by buying eggs that are properly refrigerated. Check inside the carton to be sure the eggs are clean and the shells are not cracked. Refrigerate promptly in their original carton when you get home and use them within three weeks for best quality.

Be sure your cooking utensils and work surfaces are clean by washing them with hot, soapy water before and after they come in contact with eggs and egg-containing foods. To avoid bacterial contamination, Ingham notes that you should wash your hands thoroughly before you handle eggs at every step including cooking, cooling and dyeing. Refrigerate hard-cooked eggs in their cartons if you won't be coloring them right after cooking and cooling. Refrigerate them again right after you dye them and after you display them.

Color only uncracked eggs. If you want to eat your dyed eggs later, use food coloring or specially made food-grade egg dyes dissolved in water that is warmer than the eggs. Hard-cooked eggs should be eaten within one week after cooking. If any eggs crack during dyeing or while on display, discard them along with any eggs that have been out of refrigeration for more than two hours. If you keep hard-cooked eggs out of refrigeration for many hours or several days for a decoration or for hiding, cook extra eggs for eating. Either discard the eggs that have been left out or use them only for display.

Many of us remember when we were little finding hidden eggs months after Easter, says Ingham. If you hide eggs, consider hiding places carefully. Avoid areas where the eggs might come into contact with dirt, pets, wild animals, birds, reptiles, insects or lawn chemicals. Refrigerate the hidden eggs again after they've been found. If the eggs have been outside, and out of the refrigerator for more than two hours, discard them, Ingham says.

There is also a safe way to empty eggshells for decorating. To safely empty an eggshell, first wash the egg using water that is warmer than the egg, then dry the egg. (For extra safety, you can also rinse the egg in a bleach solution - one teaspoon of chlorine bleach in one quart of water.) With a sterilized long needle or small, sharp skewer, prick a small hole in the small end of the egg and a large hole in the large end.

Carefully chip away bits of shell around the large hole until it's big enough to fit the tip of a baster. Stick the needle or skewer into the yolk to break it. Either shake the egg large-end down over a cup or bowl until the contents come out or use a baster to push out the contents. Press the bulb of the baster to push air into the egg and let the contents fall into the cup. If the contents don't come out easily, insert the needle again and move it around to be sure both the shell membranes and yolk are broken. Rinse the empty shell under cool running water. Stand it on end to drain and dry.

It is safe to use the contents of eggshells you've emptied for decorating, if done properly. You can use the contents of emptied eggshells in a recipe that includes mixed yolks and whites and calls for thorough cooking. Use the contents immediately or freeze them, labeling the storage container with the date and number of eggs it contains. You can keep mixed whole eggs frozen for a year at 0° F or lower. Most baked dishes, such as casseroles, custards, quiches, cakes or breads are good uses for eggs emptied from their shells.

To learn more about food safety, contact your county UW-Extension office. Information on eggs and food safety is also available by calling the USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline at 800-535-4555. You may also visit the Partnership for Food Safety Education home page at www.fightbac.org or the Egg Nutrition Center home page at www.enc-online.org. On "The incredible edible egg" home page at www.aeb.org, you'll find both food safety information and cooked recipes for egg dishes that are traditionally made with raw eggs. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration also has a food safety web site at www.cfsan.fda.gov, or call 888-SAFEFOOD.