What safety measure should be taken when preparing food with raw eggs?

Using pasteurized eggs is an important safety measure when preparing food with raw eggs because pasteurization helps eliminate harmful bacteria, particularly Salmonella, that can be found in raw eggs. Salmonella can cause severe foodborne illness, and its presence in raw or undercooked eggs represents a significant health risk. By utilizing pasteurized eggs, which have been heat-treated to kill off bacteria without cooking the egg itself, the risk of foodborne illness is greatly reduced while still allowing for recipes that require raw or lightly cooked eggs, such as certain dressings, mousses, or desserts.

While cooking eggs thoroughly can also eliminate the risk, pasteurized eggs provide an extra safety net for recipes that do not involve fully cooking the eggs. This makes pasteurized eggs a preferred choice in food preparation, particularly in venues serving vulnerable populations, such as young children, the elderly, or immunocompromised individuals. The other options do not address the specific safety concerns associated with raw eggs as effectively as using pasteurized eggs does.