Egg salad: a small LDL rise from the eggs, a real risk from the bowl left out

Egg salad has no trials of its own. What is known comes from eggs, from one standard recipe in US food tables and from outbreaks. In a meta-analysis of 28 randomized trials, eating eggs raised LDL cholesterol by 5.55 mg/dL (95% CI 3.14 to 7.69) and HDL by 2.13 mg/dL against low-egg diets. A second meta-analysis of 17 trials in healthy people put the LDL rise at 8.14, in units the abstract does not name. Neither measured what mayonnaise adds. In USDA survey data, 3.5 oz (100 g) of egg salad made with mayonnaise-type dressing has 174 calories, 12.8 g fat, 299 mg cholesterol and 385 mg sodium. A cup, 222 g, comes to about 386 calories, 664 mg cholesterol and 855 mg sodium, calculated from that single recipe with no spread between brands or kitchens.

As people eat it, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

How much is actually in it

• Per 100 g, egg salad made with mayonnaise-type dressing provides about 174 calories, 12.8 g fat, 10.1 g protein, 299 mg cholesterol, 385 mg sodium and 235 mg choline. — — Evidence E source
  Per 100 g: energy 174 calories; fat 12.83 g; protein 10.07 g; cholesterol 299 mg; sodium 385 mg; choline 235.1 mg

What a real portion looks like

• USDA survey data put one cup of egg salad made with mayonnaise at 222 g and an unspecified serving at 111 g, and a cup with mayonnaise-type dressing provides about 386 calories and 664 mg cholesterol. — — Evidence E source
  1 cup 222 g; unspecified quantity 111 g; 1 large-egg portion 2.6 oz (74 g); 1 cup (fdc 2707184) 386 calories, 663.8 mg cholesterol, 854.7 mg sodium

What your body absorbs

• In a randomized crossover trial in 16 young men, adding 5.3 oz (150 g) of scrambled eggs (3 eggs) to a raw mixed-vegetable salad increased absorption of beta-carotene, alpha-carotene and lycopene 3 to 8 times compared with the salad alone. — Healthy young men, single-meal crossover, blood sampled for 10 h (n = 16) Evidence B source
  Carotenoids not present in eggs: TRL AUC 3-8-fold higher with 150 g egg vs no egg (P < 0.01); lutein and zeaxanthin 4-5-fold

What cooking and storage change

• The FDA advises eating hard-cooked eggs, in the shell or peeled, within 1 week after cooking. — General public Evidence E source
  Storage limit 1 week refrigerated
• By the USDA retention table for hard-cooked eggs, boiling keeps about 75% of folate, 80% of choline and 85% of vitamin B12 and thiamin, while minerals are fully retained. — — Evidence E source
  Retained: folate 75%, choline 80%, vitamin C 80%, B12 85%, thiamin 85%, riboflavin/niacin/B6 95%, minerals 100%

What it does to your health

• In a meta-analysis of 28 trials, eating eggs raised LDL cholesterol by about 5.6 mg/dL and HDL cholesterol by about 2.1 mg/dL versus low-egg control diets, with no change in the LDL:HDL ratio. — Participants of 28 randomized clinical trials published after 2000 (n = 28 studies) Evidence A source
  TC +5.60 mg/dL (95% CI 3.11 to 8.09); LDL-C +5.55 mg/dL (95% CI 3.14 to 7.69); HDL-C +2.13 mg/dL (95% CI 1.10 to 3.16)
• A meta-analysis of 17 trials in healthy people found that eating more eggs raised LDL cholesterol by a mean difference of 8.14, in units the abstract does not state, and the LDL:HDL ratio by 0.14. — Healthy participants of 17 randomized controlled trials (n = 17 RCTs) Evidence A source
  LDL-c MD 8.14, units not stated in the abstract (p < 0.0001, I2 = 18%); LDL-c/HDL-c ratio MD 0.14

Safety, limits and interactions

• In a Jerusalem banqueting hall outbreak, Salmonella Enteritidis was found in stool samples and in a mayonnaise-based egg salad, linked to a symptom-free food handler. — Guests and employees of three events at one banqueting hall; 124 of 770 attendees interviewed (n = 124 interviewed, 75 symptomatic) Evidence C source
  75 of 124 interviewed reported symptoms; identical PFGE pattern in patients, food handler and egg salad
• In a large US outbreak of enterotoxigenic E. coli from a delicatessen, egg salad was among several heavily handled foods associated with illness, with an estimated 3300 or more people affected. — 612 attendees of 11 catered events, Illinois, June 1998 (n = 612) Evidence C source
  At least 3300 estimated cases; potato, macaroni and egg salad and watermelon associated with illness
• The FDA advises never leaving cooked eggs or egg dishes out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour above 90 F. — General public Evidence E source
  Time limit 2 h at room temperature, 1 h above 90 F

What people believe that the data does not support

• A scoping review for the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023 concluded that one egg a day is unlikely to raise overall disease risk, although evidence above one egg a day is limited. — 38 systematic reviews and meta-analyses on egg intake published 2011 to April 2022 (n = 38 reviews) Evidence C source
  No strong support for harm from up to one egg/day on CVD risk; limited data above one egg/day

Who this works differently for

• A meta-analysis of 7 randomized trials in 3673 children aged 6 to 59 months in sub-Saharan Africa found that egg-based feeding raised weight-for-age z-score by 0.33 but did not change height-for-age. — Children aged 6-59 months in sub-Saharan Africa, 7 RCTs (n = 3673) Evidence A source
  WAZ MD 0.33 (95% CI 0.11 to 0.55); WHZ MD 0.30 (95% CI 0.12 to 0.48); HAZ MD 0.05 (95% CI -0.05 to 0.14)
• In a retrospective series of 123 egg-allergic children, 93.4% passed an oral challenge with boiled egg yolk and went on to eat yolk at home. — Children with egg allergy (median age 12 months) undergoing boiled egg yolk oral challenge, 2019-2022 (n = 123) Evidence C source
  115 of 123 (93.4%) tolerated boiled egg yolk
• A dose-response meta-analysis of 21 observational studies linked egg intake near 50 g a day with a 9% lower risk of cognitive decline in older adults. — 13 longitudinal and 8 cross-sectional studies, mainly Asia and the United States (n = 99453) Evidence C source
  Pooled RR 0.91 (95% CI 0.83 to 0.99); U-shaped curve, lowest risk at 50-60 g/day
• When a homemade recipe calls for eggs that stay raw or undercooked when served, FDA advises shell eggs treated to destroy Salmonella or pasteurized egg products, and names children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems as at greater risk of severe illness. — US consumers, with children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems named as at greater risk Evidence E source
  Use shell eggs treated to destroy Salmonella or pasteurized egg products in raw or undercooked egg recipes
• For anyone serving egg salad, CDC names people 65 and older, children under 5, people with weakened immune systems and pregnant women as the groups at higher risk of food poisoning, and children under 5 are three times more likely to be hospitalized if they get a Salmonella infection. — people 65 and older, children under 5, people with weakened immune systems, pregnant women Evidence E source
  Children under 5 three times more likely to be hospitalized with Salmonella infection

What is still unknown

• An umbrella review of 14 meta-analyses rated the evidence on eggs and health as very weak and found no association between high versus low egg intake and cardiovascular outcomes or all-cause mortality. — 14 meta-analyses published since January 2020 (10 observational, 4 interventional) (n = 14 meta-analyses) Evidence C source
  No association for cardiovascular outcomes and all-cause mortality; LDL WMD 7.39 (95% CI 5.82 to 8.95) with very weak evidence

The bottom line

The documented harm from egg salad is about handling. At a banqueting hall in Jerusalem, Salmonella Enteritidis was grown from the stools of sick guests and staff and from a mayonnaise-based egg salad, and 75 of 124 people interviewed reported symptoms. The source was a food handler who carried the bacteria without feeling ill. In a 1998 Illinois outbreak of toxigenic E. coli traced to one delicatessen, egg salad was one of four foods linked to illness, all of which needed heavy handling. Each is a single outbreak. The FDA says cooked eggs and egg dishes should not stay out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour above 90 F. It gives 1 week in the fridge for hard-cooked eggs, and we found no official limit for a finished salad with mayonnaise. Egg is a common childhood allergen. In 123 egg-allergic children with a median age of 12 months, 93.4% passed a supervised challenge with boiled yolk and went on eating yolk at home. Egg salad contains the white as well, so that result does not clear it for an allergic child. CDC names people 65 and older, children under 5, people with weakened immune systems and pregnant women as the groups at higher risk of food poisoning, and children under 5 are three times more likely to be hospitalized if they get a Salmonella infection. That is general CDC advice that names no specific food, so it says who should take the most care with egg salad rather than how risky the dish is. FDA does not name egg salad either, but where homemade mayonnaise uses eggs that stay raw, it advises shell eggs treated to destroy Salmonella or pasteurized egg products. The 2 hour rule above is about storage and does not say who can safely eat a chilled salad. We have no card on Listeria in ready-made deli salads or on drug interactions, and that gap is not a sign of safety. Eggs also help the salad next to them. In 16 young men, adding 5.3 oz (150 g) of scrambled egg to a raw vegetable salad raised the absorption of beta-carotene, alpha-carotene and lycopene 3 to 8 times over the following 10 hours. Whether egg salad does the same was not tested. Boiling keeps about 80% of the choline and 85% of the vitamin B12 in eggs, by a USDA retention table dating from 1975. On heart disease, a scoping review for the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023 judged one egg a day unlikely to raise overall disease risk, with little data above that. An umbrella review of 14 meta-analyses found no association between high and low egg intake and heart outcomes or deaths, and rated its own evidence critically low in quality. In 3673 young children in sub-Saharan Africa, in trials set against undernutrition in low-income countries, egg-based feeding raised weight-for-age by 0.33 z-score and did not change height. Observational data link about 1.8 oz (50 g) of egg a day with a 9% lower risk of cognitive decline in older adults (RR 0.91, 95% CI 0.83 to 0.99).

Sources

1. egsl-daily-r1-13 · dataset
   Egg salad, made with mayonnaise-type salad dressing (fdc_id 2707184): Protein 10.07 G, Cholesterol 299 MG, Energy 174 KCAL, Total lipid (fat) 12.83 G, Sodium, Na 385 MG, Choline, total 235.1 MG per 100 g
   USDA FoodData Central survey (FNDDS) 2024-10-31, fdc_id 2707184 · checked 2026-09-29
2. egsl-daily-r1-14 · dataset
   Egg salad, made with mayonnaise (fdc_id 2707182, FNDDS 32103000): 1 medium egg 68 g, 1 large egg 74 g, 1 cup 222 g, Quantity not specified 111 g; Egg salad, made with mayonnaise-type salad dressing (fdc_id 2707184): 1 cup 222 g = 386.3 KCAL, 663.8 MG cholesterol, 854.7 MG sodium
   USDA FoodData Central survey (FNDDS) 2024-10-31, food code 32103000 (fdc_id 2707182) and fdc_id 2707184 · checked 2026-09-29
3. egsl-daily-r1-03 · RCT (crossover)
   The TRL AUC(0-10h) of lutein and zeaxanthin increased 4-5-fold (P < 0.001), and the TRL AUC(0-10h) of carotenoid not present in eggs, including α-carotene, β-carotene, and lycopene, increased 3-8-fold (P < 0.01) for the HE meal compared with the control meal.
   Am J Clin Nutr, 2015 · checked 2026-09-29
4. egsl-daily-r1-12 · agency guidance
   Use or eat hard-cooked eggs (in the shell or peeled) within 1 week after cooking.
   US FDA, What You Need to Know About Egg Safety · checked 2026-09-29
5. egsl-daily-r1-15 · dataset
   EGGS,HARD COOKED, Dairy and Egg Products, Retn_Code 105: folate_total_ug 75%, vitamin_c_mg 80%, choline_mg 80%, thiamin_mg 85%, vitamin_b12_ug 85%, riboflavin_mg 95%, niacin_mg 95%, vitamin_b6_mg 95%, calcium_mg 100%, iron_mg 100%, zinc_mg 100%
   USDA Table of Nutrient Retention Factors, Release 6 (2007), Retn_Code 105 EGGS,HARD COOKED · checked 2026-09-29
6. egsl-daily-r1-01 · meta-analysis of RCTs
   Overall, egg consumption increased total cholesterol (TC) by 5.60 mg/dL (95% CI: 3.11, 8.09; P<0.0001), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) by 5.55 mg/dL (95% CI: 3.14, 7.69; P<0.0001) and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) by 2.13 mg/dL (95% CI: 1.10, 3.16; P<0.0001) compared with the control group.
   J Am Coll Nutr, 2018 · checked 2026-09-29
7. egsl-daily-r1-02 · meta-analysis of RCTs
   Overall, 17 RCTs met the eligibility criteria and pooled results showed MEC group had a higher LDL-c/HDL-c ratio than the control group (MD = 0.14, p = 0.001, I2 = 25%). The MEC group also had higher LDL-c than the control group (MD = 8.14, p < 0.0001, I2 = 18%).
   Nutrients, 2020 · checked 2026-09-29
8. egsl-daily-r1-07 · outbreak investigation
   Salmonella enterica, serovar Enteritidis, phage type C-8, was isolated from 10 stool cultures (eight guests, one symptomatic employee and one asymptomatic employee) and a sample of a mayonnaise-based egg salad.
   Isr Med Assoc J, 2009 · checked 2026-09-29
9. egsl-daily-r1-08 · outbreak investigation
   Multiple food items (potato salad, macaroni salad, egg salad, and watermelon) were associated with illness, all of which required extensive handling during preparation.
   Clin Infect Dis, 2006 · checked 2026-09-29
10. egsl-daily-r1-11 · agency guidance
    Never leave cooked eggs or egg dishes out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours or for more than 1 hour when temperatures are above 90° F.
    US FDA, What You Need to Know About Egg Safety · checked 2026-09-29
11. egsl-daily-r1-06 · scoping review
    However, recent evidence from observational studies does not provide strong support for a detrimental role of moderate egg consumption (up to one egg/day) on the risk of CVD, especially in the European studies... Based on the available evidence, one egg/day is unlikely to adversely affect overall disease risk.
    Food Nutr Res, 2024 · checked 2026-09-29
12. egsl-daily-r1-04 · meta-analysis of RCTs
    Seven studies involving 3673 children met the inclusion criteria. Egg-based intervention significantly improved WAZ (MD: 0.33; 95% CI: 0.11-0.55) and WHZ (MD: 0.30; 95% CI: 0.12-0.48). However, no significant effect was observed on HAZ (MD: 0.05; 95% CI: -0.05-0.14).
    J Nutr Sci, 2026 · checked 2026-09-29
13. egsl-daily-r1-09 · retrospective cohort
    Of the 123 egg yolk OFCs, 115 (93.4%) patients were tolerant and consumed egg yolk at home.
    Eur Ann Allergy Clin Immunol, 2026 · checked 2026-09-29
14. egsl-daily-r1-10 · meta-analysis of observational studies
    Egg consumption closest to 50 g/day was longitudinally linked to a lower risk of cognitive decline (pooled RR = 0.91; 95%CI = 0.83-0.99), and a 'U-shaped' dose-response relationship was also observed at the lowest risks occurring at 50-60 g/day of egg.
    J Hum Nutr Diet, 2026 · checked 2026-09-29
15. sf-eggsafe-r6-eggsalad-1 · agency advice
    For recipes that call for eggs that are raw or undercooked when the dish is served — like Caesar salad dressing and homemade ice cream — use either shell eggs that have been treated to destroy Salmonella, by pasteurization or another approved method, or pasteurized egg products...Certain people are at greater risk for severe illness and include children, older adults, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems (such as transplant patients and individuals with HIV/AIDS, cancer, and diabetes).
    US Food and Drug Administration, What You Need to Know About Egg Safety · checked 2026-10-08
16. sf-hrg-5 · agency advice
    Higher risk groups include people who are 65 and older, children under 5, people with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women. ... Children younger than 5 are three times more likely to be hospitalized if they get a Salmonella infection.
    U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, People at Increased Risk for Food Poisoning (2025) · checked 2026-10-08
17. egsl-daily-r1-05 · umbrella review
    The overall quality of studies was critically low. The level of evidence was very weak for all the significant associations... No evidence of association was found among all cardiovascular outcomes and all-cause mortality risk between high vs. low egg consumption.
    Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis, 2025 · checked 2026-09-29