Deal With The Problem

From the AP article, "Eggs in the raw? Experts say give them a pass" :

"HARTFORD, Conn. — Experts have some simple advice when it comes to eating runny eggs these days: Run away.

"With salmonella concerns triggering the recall of more than a half-billion eggs in more than a dozen states, warnings are becoming more dire every day against eating undercooked yolks and translucent egg whites."

Fear, fear, FEAR!

..."Don't eat any questionable eggs — cooked or otherwise — especially if they're part of the recall, but even if they're not on that list but are cracked or have been sitting in the refrigerator for a while (eggs remain fresh for about a month after purchase).

"'Eggs are cheap. Throw them away. It's that simple,' said Brad Barnes, an associate dean at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y."

The article goes on to discuss how to use a thermometer to make sure your eggs are overcooked.

If you're into over-cooked eggs, that's fine, and for the most part, "don't eat questionable eggs" is probably the best advice this article offers. What is crazy is that the article does not offer a long-term solution and instead just adds to the media fear machine. How about this:

Don't buy eggs from large-scale egg producers.

We have seen over and over again that large-scale food production creates large-scale health risks. How about, instead of shrugging our shoulders and taking soft-boiled eggs off the menu for a while (the article makes no mention of how long we the sheeple should be over-cooking our eggs, by the way. Just be scared!), we look for better eggs? Keeping chickens, it turns out, is about as much work as keeping a cat, but I understand it's not practical for a lot of people. So why not suggest calling around your local community and finding local people who raise chickens and sell eggs? Go out, see how the chickens live and choose the eggs that come from a place you would most like to get them. They will be fresher, taste better, and if the chickens are being taken care of, will be cleaner without having to be chemically treated.

Don't live in fear -- take charge.