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Eggs and salmonella: can you eat soft-boiled eggs?

Short answer

Eggs from Norway sold packed in cartons in shops can be eaten raw, and so soft-boiled too, according to the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet). The same applies to packed eggs from Sweden, Denmark and Finland.

In other countries it depends on where the egg comes from. In the UK, the FSA says eggs with the British Lion mark or from the Laid in Britain scheme can be eaten runny, but not by people who are severely immunocompromised. In the US, the FDA advises cooking eggs until both the yolk and the white are firm. Elsewhere, follow the advice where you live.

A soft-boiled, creamy, jammy or firm egg isn’t fully cooked. See the five eggs, or work out the time in the egg timer.

Checked against the FSA, the FDA and Mattilsynet on 9 October 2026.

United Kingdom

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) says eggs with the British Lion mark or from the Laid in Britain scheme can be eaten raw or lightly cooked, also by anyone pregnant, young children and older people. The exception is people who are severely immunocompromised and on a medically supervised diet (FSA, 2026).

The hens in these schemes are vaccinated against salmonella, and the eggs are tested more (FSA, 2023). The FSA advises against using eggs with damaged shells (FSA, 2026).

If you can’t tell whether the eggs have the British Lion mark or come from the Laid in Britain scheme, for example when eating out, the FSA says young children, older people and anyone pregnant or with an underlying health condition should make sure the eggs are thoroughly cooked (FSA, 2026).

United States

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises cooking eggs until both the yolk and the white are firm. For dishes with raw or lightly cooked eggs, it advises using pasteurized eggs (FDA, content as of 5 March 2024).

The EU

Salmonella in eggs and egg products caused the most foodborne outbreaks and the most hospitalizations in the EU in 2024 (EFSA and ECDC, 2025). In the EU, 4.0% of laying hen flocks had salmonella in 2024 (EFSA and ECDC, 2025). Countries where at least 10% of laying hen flocks had Salmonella Enteritidis must vaccinate the hens while they are growing (Regulation (EC) No 1177/2006).

Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland: why the advice is different

This is how salmonella is monitored in Norwegian laying hens:

The Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment (VKM) writes that monitoring shows very little salmonella, and that infection from the hen into the egg before it is laid can be ruled out in Norway (VKM, 2026).

Sweden, Denmark and Finland. Mattilsynet says the same applies to packed eggs from these countries, because they have equally strict salmonella requirements for egg producers (Mattilsynet, 2023). In Finland, Ruokavirasto says Finnish eggs can be eaten raw and soft-boiled (Ruokavirasto, 2023). In Sweden, Livsmedelsverket advises against eating raw eggs from countries other than Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark. It is reviewing that advice, because Salmonella Enteritidis has become more common in Swedish laying hen flocks (Livsmedelsverket, report May 2026).

Who should take extra care

Mattilsynet makes no distinction between groups in its advice on Norwegian eggs in cartons. Its advice on raw eggs for the groups below applies when you are outside the Nordic countries.

Which eggs to hard-boil

We recommend hard-boiled, and checking that the yolk is firm all the way through, for these eggs:

An egg is fully cooked when the yolk is firm all the way through. A soft-boiled, creamy, jammy or firm egg isn’t.

Cracked eggs: Class A eggs must have a clean and undamaged shell (Mattilsynet, 2023). The FSA advises against using eggs with damaged shells, as dirt or bacteria may have got inside (FSA, 2026). We recommend that you don’t use eggs that were cracked before cooking, not even for hard-boiled eggs.

How to read the code on the egg

In Norway: if you can’t find the country code, or it isn’t NO, SE, DK or FI, choose hard-boiled. In the UK, see the FSA’s advice above.

Eggs when you travel

If you live in Norway, Mattilsynet advises against raw eggs and food made with raw eggs when you travel outside the Nordic countries, and against eggs with a runny yolk (Mattilsynet, 2023). If you live somewhere else, follow the advice where you live.

Frequently asked questions

Can I eat a soft-boiled egg?

It depends on where the egg comes from. In the UK, the FSA says eggs with the British Lion mark or from the Laid in Britain scheme can be eaten runny, also by anyone pregnant, young children and older people, but not by people who are severely immunocompromised. In the US, the FDA advises cooking eggs until both the yolk and the white are firm, or using pasteurized eggs. In Norway, eggs from Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland sold in cartons in shops can be eaten soft-boiled, according to Mattilsynet. Elsewhere, follow the advice where you live.

Can I eat runny eggs when I’m pregnant?

It depends on where you live and where the eggs come from. In the UK, the FSA says anyone pregnant can eat eggs with the British Lion mark or from the Laid in Britain scheme raw or lightly cooked. If you can’t tell whether the eggs have the mark, for example when eating out, the FSA says to make sure they’re thoroughly cooked (FSA, 2026). In the US, the FDA lists pregnant women among those at greater risk of severe illness, and advises cooking eggs until both the yolk and the white are firm, or using pasteurized eggs (FDA, 2024). In Norway, Mattilsynet advises pregnant women against raw eggs and food made with raw eggs when outside the Nordic countries, and against eggs from wild birds, such as gull eggs, because of environmental pollutants (Mattilsynet, 2025). Elsewhere, follow the advice where you live.

Can I eat soft-boiled eggs from my own hens or from a farm?

Eggs without a carton don’t have to come from a flock with salmonella control, according to Mattilsynet (2023), and eggs from your own hens aren’t part of the control programme. We recommend hard-boiled for both, and checking that the yolk is firm all the way through.

What does the code on an egg mean?

The code on the carton says where the eggs were packed, not where they were laid. The code on the egg says where it was laid. On eggs from the EU, it starts with a digit for the farming method (0 organic, 1 free range, 2 barn, 3 cage), then the country code and the producer’s number. In Norway, Mattilsynet’s advice covers packed eggs from Norway (NO), Sweden (SE), Denmark (DK) and Finland (FI). If you’re in Norway and can’t find the country code, or it’s another country, choose hard-boiled.

Sources, and when we checked them

All checked on 9 October 2026. Next check by 6 November 2026. We pass on the advice from the authorities, and say when the advice is our own.

Food Standards Agency (UK)

FDA (US)

EFSA and ECDC (EU)

Mattilsynet (Norway)

Norwegian Veterinary Institute, VKM and FHI

Sweden, Denmark and Finland

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