The official word is that eating uncooked eggs could potentially be unsafe because of salmonella contamination. The ones most at risk are infants, small children, the elderly, pregnant women and anybody with a compromised immune system (cancer patients, etc).

I took a Sanitation & Safety class as part of my coursework last fall, and did enough reading that I personally won't risk it for myself or anyone else. The end results can be just too devastating.

I have read that pasteurized eggs are now available in the shell, and those ARE safe to eat uncooked, as they've been heated to 160F to kill any harmful bacteria. I haven't seen any in our stores here, but you might be able to find them. And sometimes the "Eggbeaters" type products can be used instead, too.

Becky
Windsor, CA

Gail,
Only goodness knows if you're still aroung to read this, but we've been making (and enjoying every bite of) Banana Split Cakes in my family for at least a decade. None of us has ever become ill from eating it (even over-indulging doesn't seem to cause any problems).

It is a delicious cake - especially if you make it and let it chill at least 8-12 hours before you plan to serve it!
KellyB.

A friend got salmonella from uncooked eggs in a recipe. It's not worth the risk. You can use egg substitutes.

Fresh eggs can carry salmonella.

Here is a link that might be useful: Kansas State Nutrition Study

I can't imagine any store in this day and age that would sell unrefrigerated eggs or anyone dumb enough to buy them. They may advertise them as fresh but who knows how old they are. That is just being flat out negligent and waiting for a lawsuit to be slapped on them. Glad they are in your area and not mine. I will stick to the pasteurized eggs for anything that is going to be ingested uncooked.

I got sick on the uncooked eggs in a Banana Split Cake about 30 years ago. Use pasturized eggs in recipes when the eggs are uncooked.

you can buy both pastuerized eggs in the shell. or you can buy liquid pastuerized eggs in a carton. check where the egg beaters are for the liquid eggs. you'll have to look for in the shell eggs with the rest of the eggs. the in the shell eggs are $$$$.
If you have a restaurant supply store near you, check there for the liquid type eggs. they usually come packed in 1 qt containers. if they are frozen, they can be partially thawed, divided and refrozen or use them to make scrabled eggs that week for breakfast.

diggerb