You technically can eat raw egg whites, but it’s usually not recommended unless they’re clearly labeled pasteurized, and even then many experts still prefer they be cooked for safety.

Quick Scoop

  • Raw egg whites can carry Salmonella, a bacteria that causes food poisoning with symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps.
  • Pasteurized egg whites (usually sold in cartons or specially marked shells) are much safer because heat treatment greatly reduces harmful bacteria, which is why they’re the preferred choice if you insist on using them raw.
  • From a nutrition perspective, cooked eggs give similar nutrients without the infection risk, and protein absorption may even be a bit better from cooked than raw.

Safety: When Is It “Okay”?

  • Most health professionals advise avoiding raw eggs altogether because the risk of Salmonella, while statistically low per egg, can be serious if you are the unlucky case.
  • High‑risk groups (kids, older adults, pregnant people, and anyone with a weakened immune system) should especially avoid raw egg whites and any foods that contain them.
  • If you do use them uncooked (in shakes, frothy drinks, homemade mayo, etc.), choose clearly labeled pasteurized egg whites and keep them refrigerated and within their use‑by date.

Nutrition & Biotin Myth

  • Raw egg whites contain a protein called avidin that can bind to biotin (vitamin B7) and reduce its absorption, but real biotin deficiency from this is unlikely unless you eat large amounts of raw whites every day.
  • Cooking destroys avidin, so this concern goes away when the egg white is fully cooked.
  • There is no strong nutritional advantage to keeping whites raw; you get similar protein and nutrients from cooked eggs without the same food safety worries.

What People Are Saying Lately

  • Fitness and bodybuilding communities still sometimes use raw or carton egg whites for convenience, but many now deliberately choose pasteurized cartons to reduce risk.
  • Recent “2025” style guides on raw egg whites consistently emphasize that pasteurization is the key factor: raw is only considered reasonably safe if the product is pasteurized and handled correctly.
  • Mainstream medical and nutrition sources continue to lean toward “can, but shouldn’t” for raw eggs, because the health upside over cooked eggs is minimal while the downside (food poisoning) can be very unpleasant.

Practical Takeaways

  • Safest option: eat egg whites cooked (boiled, scrambled, omelet, baking) to essentially eliminate Salmonella risk.
  • “If you must” option: use refrigerated, pasteurized liquid egg whites in recipes that stay uncooked (like shakes or some cocktails), and avoid serving them to high‑risk people.
  • Skip completely: raw, unpasteurized shell egg whites, especially in large amounts or as a daily habit, because the risk–reward balance is not in your favor.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.