MAUI, Hawaii, Feb. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- National Pasteurized Eggs, http://www.safeeggs.com/ , announced today that Kihei Caffe in South Maui will now exclusively use the firm's Davidson's Safest Choice Pasteurized Shell Eggs for all dishes requiring eggs.

By using Davidson's pasteurized shell eggs, Kihei Caffe joins a growing number of U.S. restaurants and food service entities that are converting to pasteurized shell eggs to eliminate the risk of Salmonella enteritidis (SE), the main egg-related Salmonella bacteria. Kihei Caffe, which serves more than 100,000 diners annually, is Maui's first breakfast and lunch restaurant to use 100% pasteurized shell eggs in every egg dish. Use of pasteurized shell eggs has skyrocketed in the past 6 months, due to consumer concerns about food safety in wake of food-borne illness outbreaks throughout 2006.

While many restaurants use liquid eggs, which also protect against SE, pasteurized shell eggs provide the culinary capabilities chefs require and customers desire.

"We want to provide the safest option when using eggs throughout the kitchen," said Barry Allison, Kihei Caffe owner. "By using pasteurized shell eggs, we can provide guests with their favorite egg entrees such as over easy and sunny side up while avoiding cross contamination within the entire kitchen."

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimates 2.3 million eggs contaminated with SE were sold last year, exposing a large number of people to risk of illness. More than 60 million Americans are at risk for severe reactions to egg-related salmonella, including children under 10, pregnant women, those over 50 and those with compromised immune systems. The FDA's Model Food Code recommends using pasteurized eggs in all dishes calling for raw or softly cooked eggs.

Davidson's Safest Choice Pasteurized Shell Eggs undergo a patented pasteurization process that destroys harmful bacteria including SE. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year more than 118,000 egg-related salmonella cases are confirmed, and many more are underreported or misdiagnosed.

About National Pasteurized Eggs

Davidson's Pasteurized Shell Eggs are now available at restaurants and major retailers in 34 states in the United States. For more information, visit http://www.safeeggs.com/ or call 708/418-8500.

About Kihei Caffe

Kihei Caffe is located at 1945 S. Kihei Rd. in South Maui, and is open from 5 a.m. until 8 p.m. daily. Visit http://www.kiheicaffe.com/ for more information.