Many people might find it strange but it makes a lot of sense to wash what you eat before cooking it. Because when it comes to what you are putting in your mouth, the cleaner the better. But, in case of some foods, washing them does nothing and in fact, can do more harm than good. Both these cases can be true when it comes to your favorite eggs.
Many people rinse the eggshell to make sure there is no dirt or germs before they crack it or boil it.
According to the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture), there are federal regulations that require the washing of all commercially produced eggs. The process removes the natural protective coating called ‘cuticle’ or ‘bloom’ from the surface of the egg. Once the eggs have been washed, a film of edible mineral oil is coated to make sure no bacteria contaminate or penetrate the eggs.
Some of you might still not want to skip the washing part. But washing eggs can further spread the bacteria, just like chicken. Read here: Why you should never wash chicken before cooking it.
Washing eggs can actually push the bacteria inside the egg because the eggshell is porous, say health experts. This turns out to be true when you use cold or running water to wash the eggs. Bacteria can form a surface on the eggs and washing the eggs just pushes the bacteria inside the egg. This contaminates the part of the egg that you are actually going to eat.
Still, if you do not want to skip this step, use warm water and do not use soap. But, when it comes to commercially sold eggs, do not wash them, save your time and let the bacteria be where it belongs to.