The Guangdong Provincial Health Department reported on December 30 that Shenzhen has identified one suspected case of human infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza. In the face of the avian influenza outbreak, how should we select healthy poultry and eggs to avoid contracting the disease?
How to select safe eggs
Unclean eggshells may carry bacteria and viruses such as Salmonella and avian influenza. After purchasing eggs, it is best to place them in a plastic bag before storing to prevent contamination of other foods in the refrigerator. If you are concerned that washing will affect storage quality, you can wipe the eggshells with a dry cloth to remove dirt before bagging and refrigerating.
Regardless of the type of egg, equal amounts of egg white and yolk have similar nutritional content. When selecting eggs, it is not about choosing their nutritional value, but more about choosing eggs that are fresh and have low levels of pesticide, drug, and bacterial residues. For packaged eggs, first, purchase products from major, reputable brands; second, check the production date, and it is best to buy eggs within 7 days to ensure freshness. For loose eggs, there are generally three methods for selection.
First, look at the appearance.
It is best not to buy eggs with sand-like spots on the shell, as their shells are thin and can allow bacteria to enter the egg.
Second, listen to the sound.
Pick up an egg and shake it next to your ear. If there is no sound, it is a fresh egg; if there is a sloshing sound, it is an old egg.
Third, use the water test.
If you have had eggs at home for a long time, you can test them by placing them in water. Pour a small basin of water and put the egg in it. If the egg sinks quickly, it is fresh; eggs that float on the water should not be eaten.
In addition, after cracking an egg, the yolk of a fresh egg is nearly hemispherical and elastic. At the same time, you can see the egg white divided into thick and thin parts; the fresher the egg, the more distinct the division between the two parts. Some people say that eggs with rough shells are fresher, but the smoothness of the shell cannot determine freshness. This is because many manufacturers wash and disinfect eggs before they leave the factory and then apply a layer of oil, making the shells very smooth. The reason for this is that a chicken's cloaca and vent are combined, so chicken manure can easily remain on the egg surface. If not washed, bacteria from the manure can enter through the pores on the shell, leading to contamination. Therefore, selecting clean eggs is safer.
How to select safe poultry meat
First, look at the appearance. Fresh poultry meat has shiny skin and a glossy muscle surface. Spoiled meat has a dull surface. Fresh poultry meat has full eyeballs and shiny corneas; spoiled meat has sunken, dry eyeballs and cloudy lenses. Second, you can test the elasticity and viscosity by touch. Fresh poultry meat is slightly dry or moist on the surface, not sticky, and the indentation from pressing with a finger recovers immediately. Spoiled meat is dry or sticky on the surface, with a newly cut surface that is adhesive, and the indentation from pressing does not recover and leaves a mark.
The avian influenza virus can survive in frozen meat for about 300 days, so it is best not to eat poultry meat that has been stored in the refrigerator or freezer for a long time.
If you are buying live poultry to be slaughtered on the spot, you need to select it carefully. Generally, healthy live poultry has its wings close to the body, shiny and relatively neat feathers, and a clean vent area. In contrast, poultry with drooping wings, fluffy and disheveled feathers, a gray-black vent with white droppings is often sick and should not be purchased.