5 Foods You Should Never Wash Before Cooking And 5 You Always Should
chandrama deshmukh 
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Right since we were young, we were always told to wash anything and everything before we used it for eating or cooking. This is to get rid of any germs or bacteria that may be present on the surface of the food but are invisible to the naked eye. However, there are some foods that you should never wash before cooking. Washing these kinds of foods may, in fact, promote the growth of bacteria and have a negative impact on your health. Today, we will learn about 5 foods that you should never wash before cooking as well as 5 foods that you should always wash before cooking.
Foods That You Must Never Wash
1. Chicken
According to Drexel University, washing your chicken before cooking it simply causes you to splash bacteria all over your hands and the kitchen sink (1). Raw chicken is almost always covered by all sorts of bacteria that are harmful to our health. Salmonella is one of the most common types of bacteria found in raw chicken (2). Experts believe that washing raw chicken helps the bacteria spread onto your hands and use the water as a medium to travel to other places. It is best if you boil the chicken twice since this ensures that the high temperature has killed all the bacteria.
2. Eggs
When eggs are processed, they are coated with a layer of mineral oil that helps prevent bacteria from penetrating the shell and contaminating the egg (3). If you wash eggs before storing them, you are essentially making them vulnerable to bacteria. Therefore, it is best if you do not wash eggs.
3. Meat
Similar to chicken, raw meat such as pork, lamb, beef, and veal should never be washed before cooking since this helps bacteria spread. You can get rid of germs or bacteria from your meat with the help of high temperatures. Always ensure you make use of napkins to get rid of any meat juice on the surface of the meat since this is most likely to be highly contaminated by bacteria. Once you have finished prepping your meat, make sure to wash your hands with soap and warm water.
4. Pasta
Washing raw pasta before using it for cooking is considered a serious taboo in the culinary world. According to chefs, washing pasta causes it to lose its layer of starch that is essential for it to absorb the sauce. The only time that you can wash pasta is after you have boiled it.
5. Mushrooms
Mushrooms are highly absorbent. This means that you should avoid washing them or soaking them in water since they can lose their elasticity. It is best if you clean them with a little water and dry them quickly right before cooking them.
Foods That You Must Always Wash
1. Tin Cans
You must always make sure that you wash the lid of any can before you open it. This is to make sure that no bacteria can make contact with the food inside when the lid makes contact with the food.
2. Vegetables And Fruits That Have Edible Skin
Just because fruits and vegetables with edible skin appear shiny and clean, it does not mean that they are. You must always wash these fruits and vegetables to get rid of any germs or bacteria on the skin.
3. Vegetables And Fruits That Have Inedible Skin
Even though a layer of skin protects these fruits and vegetables, we should always wash them. This is because bacteria may still manage to make contact with these fruits and vegetables no matter how well we manage to peel off the skin. Therefore, make sure that you always wash the skin of melons, watermelons, bananas and other fruits and vegetables.
4. Dried Fruits
Dried fruits are considered to be one of the dirtiest types of fruits that people consume. This is because people tend not to wash these kinds of fruits since they feel contact with water may hinder the flavor of the fruits. You must always wash these fruits even if they come in clean packages. Alternately, you can soak these fruits for a few hours before consumption.
5. Nuts
Nuts contain phytic acid that is used to protect them from parasites and other germs. However, this acid can be harmful to the human body if consumed in excess. Also, you never know the condition in which nuts were packaged and transported. Therefore, you must always make sure you wash nuts before consuming them, even if you peel them.
It is very important to know what foods you must wash and what foods you should never wash. Make sure you follow the methods you have learned from this article to keep you and your close ones safe and healthy.
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