Washing fruits and vegetables before cooking or consuming them is generally considered a good hygiene practice to remove any dirt, bacteria, or pesticides that may be present on their surface. However, it is not necessary to wash all kinds of food before cooking.
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In fact, washing some items can be actively detrimental to your health. For example, you definitely shouldn't wash your chicken before cooking it. This also extends to all kinds of raw meat.
As per Reader's Digest, eggs are also among one of the foods you should never wash before eating. So if you plant to cook up the perfect fried egg this weekend, read ahead and find out why you should not wash eggs before cooking, and prevent a major health risk.
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This is why you should not wash your eggs
As per directives by the United States Department of Agriculture, USDA, commercial egg processing already includes washing the eggs.
In these egg plants, the natural coating of the egg is removed, and if consumers who buy the eggs take them home and wash them again, it could just lead to risks of contamination.
USDA states,
"Bloom," the natural coating on just-laid eggs that helps prevent bacteria from permeating the shell, is removed by the commercial washing process. It is replaced by a light coating of edible mineral oil, which restores protection for long-term home storage of eggs.
Extra handling of the eggs in your home, such as washing them, could increase the risk of cross-contamination, especially if the shell becomes cracked.
As per Reader's Digest report, the extra washing at home could push bacterias on the surface of the egg, inside the shell which has become more porous due to the commercial processing.
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Should you wash eggs from a farm?
As per Reader's Digest, even though farm produced eggs are more likely to have dirt and grime on them, and you might be inclined to think they need a good washing, you are better off not washing these farm-fresh eggs as well.
As per the report, if you feel as though you absolutely must wash your farm produced eggs, you should use warm water and soap.
Thus, as per expert advice, you should never ever wash your eggs, especially if they have been commercially processed.
Read more:Make scrambled eggs even more delicious by adding these simple ingredients
Sources used:
USDA: 'Washing Food: Does it Promote Food Safety?'
Reader's Digest: 'Why You Should Never Wash Fresh Eggs Before Cooking Them'
