Is it really necessary to wash your hands after cracking eggs? for Questionland Seattle

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Is it really necessary to wash your hands after cracking eggs?

When I was a teenager working at a restaurant, the King County Health Department put the fear of God in me and said it was imperative to wash your hands after cracking an egg. I understand that restaurants are held to a higher standard. But, I'm wondering, in the home kitchen, is it really necessary to wash your hands after cracking an egg or two?

For what it's worth, I buy local organic cage-free eggs when the checking account is at high tide, and usually pick up a dozen of the cheapo ones from Fred Meyer when I don't have as much cash on hand. If that makes a difference.

soundslikepuget asked in Cooking Tips & Tricks 5 months ago | Report

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Shell eggs are rife with salmonella. Not washing your hands could cross contaminate the other food with salmonella from the shell. So yeah you should wash your hands. And when you crack the egg the egg could pick up the salmonella so that's partly why eating raw eggs (as in ice cream or mousse or caesar dressing) can be dicey. I know the rationale (I've heard it a million times) - people have been eating ice cream forever and no one's gotten sick yet. It's a lame argument. People get sick all the time- they just don't think it was the ice cream. BTW organic does help a bit- the chickens are healthier- but not enough to discount the possibility of contamination. After all, think about where an egg comes from (sorry). And the argument of home versus commercial kitchen is also not logical- your home just as friendly to pathogens as a commercial kitchen. So my advice is to follow the processes you learned in the restaurant.

George De Pasquale answered in Cooking Tips & Tricks 5 months ago | Report

2 comments by O my captain and George De Pasquale…

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OK, let me go you one better.
I've recently been boiling hard boiled eggs to get my fix of cholesterol each day...and wind up eating one egg for "breakfast" and a sliced up egg in my lunch sandwich.

Considering they are "hard boiled" do I need to worry about this?

Second, one batch got pulled off the stove a little bit early, and I got 12 "soft boiled" eggs... that is, they were almost hard-boiled (solid) but the yolk was a little bit soft (not runny).
Do I have to worry about these guys, since they too were in boiling water about 10 minutes...not 12 as was recommended by my local chef/wife.

O my captain commented 5 months ago | Report

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Yes you should worry. You can eat them hot obviously but it's lunch you should worry about. I'll let Russ explain the details (he's so much better at it than me) but basically you should bring your eggs down to 40º within 6 hours and keep them there until you eat them. A lunch bag with blue ice is in order. You will eventually get sick eating room temperature eggs.

George De Pasquale commented 5 months ago | Report

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Russ Campbell, NWEBS

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The bug of greatest concern here is Salmonella and the condition that results from being infected, Salmonellosis. If you get eggs that are infected you will probably suffer its effects as there is no immunity, even if you have had it before.

The bacterium can be on the surface of the egg but may also be contained within it as it was present before the shell was formed around the contents. Thorough cooking is the best way to avoid infection. That is, except if you hadn't thoroughly washed your hands and then spread the bacterium by touching other foodstuffs, utensils, or food prep surfaces. Hence the instruction to wash after handling eggs.

If you are only using a couple of eggs, why not wash after handling them, cracking them and tossing the shells? You may want to not be so careful for just yourself, but being creatures of habit - if you always do it then your normal procedures will protect others who happen to be at your house that you are cooking for in the future (especially important for children).

Appropriate handling of eggs.

Russ Campbell, NWEBS answered in Cooking Tips & Tricks 5 months ago | Report

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Reading the text of Salmonella there is plenty on the dangers of handling birds and not washing your hands.

I presume my feathered charges are not carriers as I handle them plenty, clean up after them and touch my face to them as a matter of course. However, I also wash my hands frequently and before doing any kitchen chores every time. I am much more likely to have chapped hands than most folks, I think.

I do give my birds the occasional dry squeaky kiss on the outside curve of their top beak or on their feathered back. There are loads of precautions about keeping human mouth fluids away from them (turns out we are a danger to them also). My shoulder gal African Grey will now occasionally reach her beak around my face and touch me gently on the cheek and make the *kiss* sound.

Russ Campbell, NWEBS commented 5 months ago | Report

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Salmonella is no joke, and it can be on the organic cage-free or the cheap kind. My (limited) understanding is that smaller production would help decrease (but not eliminate) the risks. All the poultry-related stuff, it's just a good idea to wash your hands! Also, avoid cross-contamination by not using the chicken knife on the veggies. And using separate cutting boards, or cutting veggies first, is not a bad plan, either. Salmonella can "attack" you from both ends, and it's no good!

Tracy M commented 5 months ago | Report

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I bow to Russ's greater research skills, but note that the reason I wash my hands after handling eggs is that they often have chicken shit on them.
Even if they are free range and/or there are no big patches of crap on them, they are produced by the chook via her cloaca. Eew.

ozchick answered in Cooking Tips & Tricks 5 months ago | Report

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True. True.

You have to be wary of the product of the southbound end of any northbound animal.

Russ Campbell, NWEBS commented 5 months ago | Report

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I snorted my drink when I read this. Good one!

O my captain commented 5 months ago | Report

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Have you seen how eggs come out of chickens? And how deep the shit is that's considered a 'floor' for a chicken coop where some of those eggs land? Yeah, I think the fear of god was warranted

RacerX answered in Cooking Tips & Tricks 5 months ago | Report

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