Q:

Mousse has Raw Eggs -- is it Really Safe?

Possible Duplicate:
Is it safe to eat raw eggs? 

I looked up a recipe for chocolate mousse the other day, and I noticed that pretty much all of them have raw eggs in them. And they're not cooked.
How is this salmonella-safe?
Is it really safe to feed to young kids (under one)?

A:

Raw eggs are actually a lot safer than said to be believed, especially in recipes such as this one. Rocky ate raw eggs all the time! haha So please feel free to make the mousse and eat it too! Although cooking them almost always kills bacteria if they reach 150 degrees Fahrenheit. The most dangerous part about using eggs is something that many of us were taught to do at a young age, separating the yolk. Most people separate the yolk by cracking the egg and pouring it back and forth between the two egg shell halves. This is the easiest way to spread salmonella because it can hide on the egg shell or in the pores inside the egg. One thing to never do is wash an egg. They are washed after they are laid and a new barrier is put on by the egg company, some sort of hardened mineral I think. Washing the egg will make your situation worse by destroying this new man made barrier. For the last part of your question I suggest not feeding your baby and thing that has a small percent chance to have any bacteria, such as mousse, because their immune system is still developing. I would also choose not to feed your baby anything high in sugar, thats what Grandma is for later in life. The baby's tastes are forming now and veggies are the way to go with that. Need to teach them to like good for them foods. They like sweet stuff when they are born so they don't need to learn how to like those. Hope I helped!

A:

I have made plenty of mousse(s) over the years, and have never seen anyone get sick. I have, however, never used anything but store bought eggs.  
There is always a risk of salmonella due to raw eggs. Using pasteurized eggs is a pain in the ass, because it takes forever to incorporate air, and the retention can be awful.
If you are that concerned, heat a portion of your sugar with your eggs over a hot water bath (baine marie, double boiler), until you hit 110 F or so. That will kill off harmful stuff, and you will have an easy time incorporating air. And, as a bonus, it is fairly stable.

