Most of us wash food before we cook it. By doing this, we believe we are doing ourselves a favor and ensuring we enjoy “clean” and safe food. But it turns this isn’t the best way to go about every food item. While washing veggies and fruit before eating them or using them in cooking is recommended, doing the same with meat, poultry or eggs is a disaster waiting to happen according to recently published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. Here’s why you shouldn’t wash these foods.
Why You Shouldn’t Wash Meat and Poultry
Washing meat and poultry before cooking is one of the most common mistakes consumers make in the kitchen. By washing any type of meat, you risk the spread of bacteria that could contaminate not only your other food items but also kitchen surface and utensils and possibly result in foodborne illness.
The USDA points out that washing meat to remove impurities isn’t necessary, as it gets cleaned during the production stage. Cooking meat and poultry at the right temperature kills germs and bacteria and is enough to ensure the food you eat is safe.
Why You Shouldn’t Wash Eggs
Similarly, like meat, commercially produced eggs are washed before being packaged and shipped to grocery stores. Part of this process includes administering a mineral oil coating on the eggshell that replaces the “bloom,” which is a natural coating that prevents the bacteria from penetrating the shell, to extend the egg’s shelf life and make it more resistant to outside factors.
If you wash eggs, you risk removing this coating and/or causing the spread of germs that might be present on the eggshell.
