Bacteria can be found on the outside of a shell egg. That's because the egg exits the hen's body through the same passageway as faeces is excreted. For this reason eggs are cleaned at the processing plant; however, they still may be present and proper cooking as well as hand washing is needed to prevent illness. Salmonella enteritidis can be found inside an uncracked, whole egg; this is due to the presence of these bacteria within the hen's ovary or oviduct before the shell forms around the yolk and white, even when Salmonella enteritidis doesn't make the hen sick. In order to prevent multiplication of these organisms inside the eggs, refrigeration is recommended. Contaminated eggs should be cooked for 6 minutes to render them safe. Never serve runny eggs in any form when you want to play it safe.