The paradox of washing eggs
Did you know that it’s better not to wash eggs?
Washing eggs is not a good idea. Not with water and certainly not with soap! In this blog post, we explain why you should never do it.
A fragile shell
Eggs are notoriously fragile and crack easily. Sometimes invisible to the naked eye, the slightest crack in the shell is enough for tiny pathogenic germs to infiltrate, which is obviously undesirable.
But suppose you could wash the egg thoroughly without causing cracks in the shell. So why not wash them?
A porous shell
Although the egg shell appears solid, it has microscopic pores. This means that an exchange of air and moisture is possible between the inside and outside of the egg. Strong odours can therefore be absorbed quickly and easily by the eggs. This is why we say that washing eggs with soap is not a good idea at all.
Similarly, eggs should not be stored near cheese, garlic or onions.
Why not wash the eggs in clean water?
The egg is naturally surrounded by a large ‘protective layer’ called the cuticle (*). This is a very thin layer of protein that covers the surface of the egg and fills the pores that allow air to pass through. The cuticle prevents bacteria from penetrating the egg. This antimicrobial quality ensures that fresh eggs have a long shelf life.
When you wash the shell, you also dissolve this good layer. Germs such as salmonella can then penetrate the egg, which is something you’d rather avoid!
Is the egg a bit dirty? Wipe it gently with a dry cloth.
(*) The cuticle is the dried-up residue of the mucus layer that covered the egg before it was laid. When an egg is cooked, this egg skin can still be difficult to remove.
