A common kitchen practice thought to promote cleanliness could actually be doing more harm than good by spreading germs and shortening the shelf life of food. A food biotechnologist has highlighted that washing certain products before consumption can in fact spread microorganisms, as reported by ABC.
While rinsing food might seem like a prudent step to eliminate unwanted residue and bacteria, food scientist Alba Ramírez warns it may increase the risk of harm. On her Instagram account, gastrolifeig, the dietician and nutritionist identified three specific foods that should not be washed prior to preparation and consumption.
She strongly advises against washing chicken, which can be particularly dangerous. Despite numerous online cooking tutorials suggesting that raw chicken should be washed, Ms Ramírez explains that this practice will “spread microorganisms throughout our kitchen”.
During washing, bacteria can splash around and contaminate surfaces, utensils, and other foods. Chickens are known carriers of bacteria such as Salmonella and Campylobacter, which can pose serious health risks to humans.
Rather than washing raw meat, it is recommended to source produce from suppliers with good handling practices. If you have concerns about unhealthy microorganisms on the meat, proper cooking will destroy them.
Another relatively healthy food that could cause you problems if you wash it are egg. It may appear that the eggshell is a solid barrier but it is actually porous, much like human skin, and can dilate and expand if the temperature or humidity changes. When in contact with water, the pores can open, allowing bacteria on the shell to enter the egg.
A better alternative to washing your eggs is simply to use a dry napkin to remove any residue or dirt. Another food item that is best not to rinse under the tap are ready-to-eat salads, as this can actually shorten their shelf life.
Unless the packaging instructs that the salad needs to be washed, they will have already been cleaned and packaged in a protective atmosphere to maintain its freshness. By washing the salad, you may be reducing its shelf life as it’s already prepared to last as long as possible in refrigeration.