It is common sense to wash fresh foods thoroughly before cooking. However, some ingredients can be dangerous if washed with water. Based on information from the American health and medical media 'WebMD,' this article summarizes which foods should not be washed and which foods should be washed carefully before eating.

 

 

Which foods should not be washed?

Eggs = Just before a chicken lays an egg, a thin membrane covers the shell. This protects the small pores of the shell from bacteria. Commercial egg producers use washing methods that preserve this thin membrane.

However, washing eggs at home can lead to bacteria seeping into the egg rather than removing them. It is best to keep eggs in the refrigerator as they are and cook them thoroughly before eating.

Mushrooms = Mushrooms are like small sponges that absorb water. It is better to gently wipe the mushrooms purchased from the store with a damp cloth rather than washing them with water.

If mushrooms are foraged in the wild, soak them in lukewarm water with salt for 30 minutes. Then rinse them with clean water until the dust is removed.

 

Chicken = Raw chicken taken out of the packaging, should it be washed before cooking? According to experts, it is safer to eliminate bacteria during the cooking process.

A recent study investigating people who wash poultry such as chicken before cooking found that 60% of sinks still had bacteria, and 26% transferred bacteria to salad lettuce.

 

Red meat = beef, pork, and other meats cannot be completely sterilized of all bacteria. Some bacteria are embedded deep within the tissue fibers.

Bacteria that come off meat can cross-contaminate the sink and everything inside it. The safest way to eliminate bacteria is to cook the meat until the internal temperature reaches at least 145°F (63°C).

 

Some people rinse pasta with water like thin noodles after boiling, but there's no need to do that. Doing so removes all the starch, making it difficult for the sauce to stick to the noodles.

 

Fish species = Fish belong to the same category as poultry or red meat. When washing fish, be careful not to spread bacteria around the sink area, and it is best to cook them thoroughly. Exceptions include fresh clams, oysters, mussels, and scallops. They need to be rinsed thoroughly to remove sand and dirt.

 

 

Which foods need to be washed before eating?

 

Avocado = Why do we need to wash it even though we don't eat the skin? Because bacteria or dirt from the skin can be transferred when cutting the avocado.

 

Melon varieties = Since melons grow from the ground, they are contaminated with dust, pests, and microorganisms from fertilizers. In particular, cantaloupe melons have a net-like skin that traps bacteria. To prevent bacteria from transferring from the skin to the flesh, all melons should be thoroughly washed just before cutting.

Canned beans = safe to eat without rinsing. However, rinsing canned beans with water can reduce the sodium content by almost half on average. If one can of kidney beans contains about 327 mg of sodium, rinsing and draining it reduces the amount to 164 mg.

 

How is it best to wash?

First, wash your hands thoroughly with hot water and soap. Then, rinse the produce with clean, cold water and dry it with a paper towel.

 

It is good to use distilled water or clean tap water when washing ingredients. Soaking fruits and vegetables in water for about 1 to 2 minutes is also a good method.

 

Thick-skinned fresh foods such as apples and melons are washed using a plant-based brush. Cauliflower, broccoli, and lettuce are soaked in cold water for 2 minutes before rinsing. Delicate berries like blueberries are placed in a sieve and sprayed with distilled water just before use.

 

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When you wash eggs at home, on the shell

It has been removed down to the thin membrane.

It is actually possible to introduce bacteria inside.

 

I have washed it once before, but.

It's not that it becomes lacking in nutrients,

Bacteria are penetrating.