Which bacteria is commonly associated with unwashed eggs?

• A. Salmonella
• B. E. coli
• C. Listeria
• D. Staphylococcus

Answer: (A)

Salmonella contamination on eggs is the focus here. Eggs can carry Salmonella on the shell from the hen’s environment, and unwashed shells keep that surface contamination available. If the egg is cracked or not cooked thoroughly, those bacteria can reach the inside and cause illness. Proper handling—refrigerating eggs, washing hands and surfaces, and cooking eggs until firm—helps prevent this. The other bacteria aren’t as specifically tied to unwashed eggs: E. coli is mainly linked to fecal contamination and improper hygiene, Listeria to ready-to-eat foods and unpasteurized products, and Staphylococcus to contamination from handling rather than the eggs themselves.