ABSTRACT
The egg ensures the nutritional needs of the chicken embryo and the preservation of a sterile environment during its development. It thus possesses a remarkable arsenal of antimicrobial defences. However, the conditions of egg production and, in particular, the health status of the livestock and the conditions of egg collection, packaging and storage may lead to microbial invasion. Therefore, the egg can convey and transmit certain microorganisms that may cause human food poisoning. Salmonella Enteritidis is considered the pathogen currently representing the major risk of eggborne diseases in the European Union (EU) (EFSA BIOHAZ Panel, 2014). The number of human salmonellosis cases in the EU in 2010 was estimated to be 5.4 million with 57%, 17%, 11% and 2.6% of cases attributed to pig, laying hen, broiler and turkey reservoirs, respectively.
