Britons flock to gardens and parks this weekend to hunt for eggs as part of the Easter hunt.
But a nutritionist has revealed how, according to age-old tradition, spending the holiday bedridden with diarrhea, vomiting and fever can happen.
If eggs are not cooked correctly, the colorful snack can become a source of salmonella.
And those who eat the eggs that have been left outside for hours risk getting food poisoning, as the treat becomes a “breeding ground” for bacteria.
Dr. Richard Allison, a nutrition consultant, said the eggs cooked for your hunt “should be taken seriously” to avoid becoming a source of illness.
An Easter egg hunt believed to have gone to Germany in the 1500s includes hard-boiling eggs, decorating the shell and hiding them outside
An Easter egg hunt, believed to have originated in Germany in the 1500s, involves hard-boiling eggs, decorating the shell, and hiding them outside.
Dr. Allison, who directs the sports nutrition and recovery clinic at the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health, noted that while the activity has become an “integral part” of the Easter tradition, “it’s important to exercise caution when consuming these eggs.” ‘.
“Eggs should be taken seriously in cooking because they can be a potential source of foodborne illness if not handled and cooked properly,” he said.
He explained that undercooked eggs can contain salmonella, which can lead to food poisoning.
Dr. Richard Allison, Head of Nutrition for the Tottenham Hotspur Women’s Team, explains the dangers and ways you can avoid having an uncomfortable Easter.
Salmonella attacks the intestinal tract, causing symptoms such as nausea and stomach cramps, which begin within 12 to 72 hours of being infected.
The common bacterial illness usually lasts four to seven days. However, in severe cases, the infection can spread to the bloodstream, requiring prompt antibiotic treatment.
Young children, people over the age of 65 and people with suppressed immune systems have a higher risk of becoming seriously ill from salmonella food poisoning.
To reduce the risk of salmonella contamination from eggs, they should be boiled for 10 to 12 minutes.
However, The Herbal Life nutritionist said that overcooked eggs can make them “tough and rubbery,” making them less enjoyable to eat.
He noted that the nutritional value of eggs also changes depending on how long they’ve been cooked.
Dr. Allison, who is also head of nutrition for the Tottenham Hotspur Women’s Team, said: ‘Raw or undercooked eggs contain avidin, which can interfere with the absorption of biotin, a B vitamin important for metabolism.
“Eggs overcooking can cause nutrient loss, especially for heat-sensitive vitamins like vitamin B12 and folic acid.”
But even cooking eggs perfectly doesn’t guarantee that the Easter egg hunt will remain disease-free.
If cooked eggs are kept for too long — two hours or more — they can become a “breeding ground for bacteria,” he noted.
Warm temperatures exacerbate this risk.
“Temperatures at this time of year can vary throughout the day, with sporadic frost on the ground in the morning followed by warm and sunny afternoons,” Dr Allison said.
In addition to eggs spoiling and developing an unpleasant smell and taste, it can also make them unsafe to eat, due to the increased risk of food poisoning, he added.