The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has issued a warning on cooking duck eggs, as it continues to investigate an outbreak of illness involving five people infected with salmonella within the last 12 months.
The FSAI and the National Health Protection Office of the HSE are investigating the cases that are linked to the consumption of duck eggs.
Producers are responsible for ensuring the safety of food placed on the market, however from time-to-time, salmonella occurs in duck eggs, according to the FSAI.
The FSAI advises consumers to only eat the eggs when they have been thoroughly cooked and to only use raw duck eggs in dishes that will be cooked thoroughly before eating.
Advice from the authority includes the following:
The FSAI also advises that duck eggs should be stored in the fridge, away from ready-to-eat food.
People infected with salmonella typically develop symptoms between 12 and 36 hours after infection, but this can range between six and 72 hours, according to the FSAI.
“The most common symptom is diarrhoea, which can sometimes be bloody. Other symptoms may include fever, headache and abdominal cramps. The illness usually lasts four to seven days.
“Diarrhoea can occasionally be severe enough to require hospital admission. The elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to have a severe illness,” the FSAI said.
The investigation into the outbreak is ongoing and the FSAI will provide further updates as necessary.