For a dessert served with raw or undercooked eggs, check treatment rather than freshness alone. FDA advises treated shell eggs or pasteurized egg products for these recipes.
Start with the finished recipe
Check whether eggs are thoroughly cooked after being added, or only chilled or frozen. Becoming cold cream or frozen ice cream does not replace an egg-cooking step.
Find the treatment information
Look for pasteurized or another clearly stated suitable treatment, then read ingredients, storage and intended use. Liquid eggs are not interchangeable just because they share that description.
A clean shell is not proof
FDA notes that fresh eggs with clean, intact shells can contain Salmonella. Floating tests, recent dates and organic wording do not establish pasteurization.
Change the recipe when uncertain
If you cannot obtain a suitable product, choose a recipe that thoroughly cooks the eggs or an egg-free alternative. This guide does not give improvised home pasteurization instructions. A treated product still needs proper storage and protection from cross-contamination.
Turn observations into a decision
| Observation or wording | Meaning and limit | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Tiramisu only chilled after eggs are added | No final egg-cooking stage | Choose pasteurized eggs or egg products appropriate to FDA advice |
| Seller or label says fresh or organic | Does not answer the pasteurization question | Specifically check treatment wording and intended-use directions |
| Suitable treated product unavailable | Freezing or lemon is not a replacement | Choose a reliable thoroughly cooked-egg recipe or egg-free alternative |
A worked example
Fictional recipe A only chills after mixing eggs; B includes thorough egg cooking. For A, 'fresh eggs bought today' does not fill the treatment field. Without a confirmed suitable product, choose B or an egg-free option. Treated products still need refrigeration and hygiene.
Official sources checked
Official sources checked 12 October 2026. AI assisted writing and translation; numbers, scope and sentence meaning were reviewed repeatedly. No individual product test or personal diagnosis or prescription is provided.