Indonesian paediatricians warn parents against raw eggs for babies

The Indonesian Paediatric Society says babies should receive thoroughly cooked eggs only, with solid foods introduced according to developmental readiness and nutritional needs.

Indonesia’s paediatric association has reminded parents that infant feeding should be guided by age, nutritional needs and food safety, warning in particular against giving babies raw or lightly cooked eggs. The guidance from the Indonesian Paediatric Society, known as IDAI, says feeding decisions should support healthy growth while putting safety first.

Dr Piprim Basarah Yanuarso, the chair of IDAI’s central board, said infant feeding should rest on “adequacy of nutrition, developmental readiness and food safety”. In the association’s statement, he stressed that a child’s wellbeing must remain the main concern in every feeding practice.

IDAI says it backs World Health Organisation advice that breast milk is the best food for babies and that infants should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months. After that, complementary foods should be introduced alongside breastfeeding until at least two years of age. The group also notes that babies do not need extra water, juice or broth during exclusive breastfeeding, although formula may be used when a medical condition makes breastfeeding impossible and a health professional recommends it.

The timing of complementary feeding matters. IDAI says most babies should start solid foods at around six months, when breast milk alone no longer meets their energy needs. In some clinical situations, however, solids can begin from four months, or 17 weeks, but only after a doctor has assessed whether the child is ready. Signs of readiness include stable head and neck control, the ability to sit with support, coordinated swallowing and an interest in food offered from a spoon.

The association also warned that introducing complementary foods before four months is not recommended because of the risk of choking and feeding difficulties. On eggs, IDAI took a firm line: raw or undercooked eggs should not be given to infants because of the risk of Salmonella infection, which can cause diarrhoea, fever, stomach pain, vomiting and dehydration. International guidance broadly agrees that eggs can be introduced as part of the infant diet, but only in thoroughly cooked form. HealthLine, the American Academy of Paediatrics and allergy guidelines from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, and the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology all advise offering well-cooked egg rather than raw or lightly cooked egg, typically from about six months.

IDAI said a fully cooked egg, with both white and yolk firm, is a useful source of high-quality protein for growth. It also said parents do not need to delay egg introduction until a child is one year old to prevent allergy, unless there is a specific medical reason. The association advised families to cook eggs thoroughly, use pasteurised eggs only for dishes that are not fully cooked, avoid cross-contamination in the kitchen and discard cracked or damaged eggs. If parents are unsure about a baby’s readiness to eat or about breast milk intake, IDAI recommends speaking with a doctor.