6 Foods That Don’t Require Washing Beforehand (3 of 3)

Eggs

Although this probably isn’t a customary practice, some people might feel the need to wash their eggs before cracking them open. On the surface, this doesn’t seem unreasonable. After all, eggs do come out of chickens and there’s no telling where they land. But still, if you’re living in America this shouldn’t worry you too much since there are rules and regulations in place that ensure the eggs are thoroughly cleaned with soap and hot water before they are packed into cartons. During the cleaning process, the shell’s natural protective coating is removed and then replaced with a light coating of mineral oil. When actually cooking the eggs, make sure you do so until the yolk is firm. Eggs that aren’t thoroughly cooked can contain deadly salmonella.

Pasta

Washing pasta with water before cooking doesn’t really accomplish anything, so it’s completely unnecessary. But unfortunately, a lot of folks think they are supposed to rinse the pasta after cooking. This is a huge mistake if your goal is to serve delicious pasta. The problem with rinsing it is that it removes the starches, which is essential for allowing the sauces to absorb the pasta. On the other hand, if you are cooking grains such as rice or quinoa, it actually is important to wash them beforehand in order to get the taste and consistency that you want.