What’S A Pasteurized Egg?

A pasteurized egg is an egg that has been gently heated to kill harmful bacteria like Salmonella while keeping the egg mostly liquid and usable. The process does not cook the egg. It makes the egg safer to eat raw or lightly cooked, which matters for foods like homemade mayonnaise, mousse, and some salad dressings. In the US, pasteurized eggs are sold in the shell or as liquid egg products in cartons.

What Happens During Egg Pasteurization?

Heat is the tool. The goal is to raise the egg’s temperature just high enough and long enough to kill bacteria, but not so high that the proteins set and turn the egg solid.

Egg white proteins begin to coagulate at around 140°F (60°C), and yolks thicken at higher temperatures. Pasteurization is designed to stay below those points while still reaching a temperature that inactivates Salmonella. It is a narrow window, which is why the process is carefully controlled.

Whole shell eggs are typically pasteurized using a warm water bath that raises the internal temperature gradually, then cools the egg back down. Liquid egg products — the cartons of whites, yolks, or whole egg blends — are pasteurized using continuous flow equipment that heats the liquid quickly, holds it at temperature, then chills it fast. The exact time and temperature combinations vary by product and are set by food safety regulators.

One detail worth knowing: pasteurization reduces bacteria to levels considered safe, but it does not sterilize the egg. It is not the same as the high-heat sterilization used for canned goods. The egg remains a perishable food and still needs refrigeration.

Are Pasteurized Eggs Safe to Eat Raw?

Pasteurized eggs are considered safe to eat raw or lightly cooked because the pasteurization step kills or inactivates Salmonella. This is the main reason they exist.

That said, “safe” is not the same as “risk-free.” Pasteurization is highly effective at reducing Salmonella, but no food process eliminates all risk with absolute certainty. For most healthy adults, the risk from a properly pasteurized egg is very low.

People at higher risk from foodborne illness — including pregnant women, young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems — should still be cautious with any raw egg product, even pasteurized ones. The evidence supports pasteurized eggs as a lower-risk option, but clinical guidance for these groups generally favors fully cooked eggs.

It is also worth separating two ideas. Pasteurized eggs make raw egg dishes safer. They do not make raw egg dishes nutritionally superior or magically free of every concern. The benefit is specifically about reducing bacterial risk.

What Is the Difference Between Pasteurized and Unpasteurized Eggs?

The difference comes down to bacterial risk, not nutrition or taste.

• Unpasteurized eggs — the standard eggs most people buy — have not been heat-treated. They may carry Salmonella on the shell or inside the egg.
• Pasteurized eggs — have been heat-treated to reduce Salmonella. They are sold in-shell or as liquid products.

Nutritionally, pasteurized and unpasteurized eggs are essentially the same. Heat treatment at pasteurization temperatures does not meaningfully change the protein, fat, or vitamin content. Some very heat-sensitive nutrients could be affected in theory, but the effect at these temperatures is minimal.

Taste and texture are also largely unchanged. Pasteurized shell eggs can behave slightly differently when whipped — the whites may not foam quite as stiffly — which is why some bakers prefer unpasteurized eggs for meringue. For scrambling, baking, or making a custard, most people would not notice a difference.

Cost and availability are the practical differences. Pasteurized shell eggs are less common and more expensive than regular eggs. Liquid pasteurized egg products are widely available in grocery stores and are often the easier choice.

How Do You Know If an Egg Is Pasteurized?

In-shell pasteurized eggs are usually marked on the carton. Look for the word “pasteurized” printed on the package. The eggs themselves may have a stamp or a slightly different appearance, but the carton is the reliable indicator.

Liquid egg products in cartons — egg whites, egg yolks, or whole egg blends — are almost always pasteurized. This is a regulatory requirement for these products in the US. If you are buying a carton of liquid eggs, you can generally assume it is pasteurized, and the label will usually confirm it.

Regular eggs sold in the shell at the grocery store are typically not pasteurized unless the carton specifically says so. Do not assume a standard carton of eggs is pasteurized. It almost certainly is not.

If you are unsure, the carton is your best source. When in doubt, treat the egg as unpasteurized and cook it thoroughly if you are in a higher-risk group.

When Should You Use Pasteurized Eggs?

Pasteurized eggs matter most when a recipe calls for raw or barely cooked eggs and you want to reduce bacterial risk.

Common examples include:

• Homemade mayonnaise and aioli
• Caesar salad dressing
• Raw cookie dough or cake batter
• Mousse, tiramisu, and some custards
• Eggnog made with raw eggs
• Soft-poached or lightly scrambled eggs for someone at higher risk

For dishes where the egg is fully cooked — hard-boiled eggs, well-done scrambled eggs, baked goods that reach a safe internal temperature — pasteurization offers little added benefit. The cooking step already kills bacteria.

The choice is really about matching the egg to the recipe. If the egg stays raw, pasteurized is the safer pick. If the egg gets cooked through, a regular egg is fine for most people.

Does Pasteurization Change How Eggs Behave in Recipes?

Pasteurized eggs work well in most recipes, but there are a few differences worth knowing.

Egg whites from pasteurized shell eggs can be harder to whip into stiff peaks. The heat treatment slightly alters some proteins, which can affect foam formation. For meringues and some soufflés, this can matter. Liquid pasteurized egg whites sold in cartons often contain additives that help them whip, so they may perform better than pasteurized shell egg whites in those cases.

For emulsified sauces like mayonnaise, pasteurized eggs work well. The yolk still provides the emulsifying power needed to hold oil and water together. Many commercial mayonnaise brands use pasteurized egg products for exactly this reason.

For baking, custards, and scrambled eggs, the difference is usually not noticeable. The egg still binds, thickens, and sets the way you expect.

One practical note: because pasteurized shell eggs have been through a heating and cooling process, they may have a slightly shorter shelf life than regular eggs. Check the date on the carton and follow storage guidance.

Is Pasteurized Egg the Same as Egg Substitute?

No. These are two different products that are sometimes confused.

Pasteurized eggs are real eggs that have been heat-treated. They contain the same egg white and yolk as a regular egg, just with reduced bacteria.

Egg substitutes — sometimes called liquid egg products or egg replacers — may or may not contain real egg. Some are made from egg whites with added color and nutrients. Others are plant-based and contain no egg at all. Many liquid egg products are pasteurized, but not every egg substitute is a pasteurized whole egg.

If your goal is to reduce bacterial risk in a raw egg recipe, you want a pasteurized egg product, not a random egg substitute. Read the label to confirm what you are actually buying.

Does Cooking Eggs at Home Pasteurize Them?

Cooking an egg thoroughly does kill Salmonella, but home cooking is not the same as pasteurization.

Pasteurization is a controlled process that targets a specific temperature for a specific time to reduce bacteria while keeping the egg liquid. Home cooking usually aims to make the egg firm and hot, which goes well beyond pasteurization temperatures.

So a fully cooked egg is safe to eat, but it is not “pasteurized” in the technical sense. The term refers to a specific industrial process. If you cook an egg until the white and yolk are solid, you have effectively made it safe through cooking, which is a different route to the same goal.

For recipes that need raw eggs, you cannot pasteurize an egg at home reliably. Buying a pasteurized product is the practical option.