Practice egg safety for Easter

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation is encouraging safe practices for cooking and handling eggs this Easter weekend. Here are some tips for preparing eggs for Easter:

• Only use eggs that have been refrigerated and discard eggs that are cracked.

• When cooking hard-boiled eggs, place a single layer of eggs in a saucepan. Add water to at least 1 inch above the eggs. Cover the pan, bring the water to a boil and remove the pan from the heat. Let the eggs stand in water with the lid on (18 minutes for extra large eggs, 15 minutes for large, 12 minutes for medium). Immediately run cold water over the eggs. When they are cool enough to handle, place the eggs in an uncovered container in the refrigerator where they can air-dry.

• When decorating, be sure to use food-grade dyes. It is safe to use commercial egg dyes, liquid food coloring and fruit-drink powders. When handling eggs, be careful not to crack them. Otherwise, bacteria could enter the egg through the cracks in the shell.

• Keep hard-cooked Easter eggs chilled on a shelf inside the refrigerator, not in the refrigerator door.

• Hide eggs in places that are protected from dirt, pets and other potential sources of bacteria.

• Remember the two hour rule and make sure the “found” eggs are back in the refrigerator or consumed within two hours. There is generally snow on the ground in Alaska during Easter. For outside egg hunts, snow helps eggs stay cold when they are hidden. If the hunt is held inside, remember two hours out of the refrigerator is the limit for eggs. For more information on food safety, visit dec.state.ak.us/eh/fss.