ChatterBank0 min ago
Bacteria Or Poop
29 Answers
Mums has started giving me eggs covered in poop.
Some insane old country weirdo told her that she shouldn't wash the eggs from her chickens because, if you wash them, then they are susceptible to bacteria.
(as an insane old country weirdo, he probably didn't use the word "susceptible")
So Mums has stopped washing them.
Some of the eggs she gives me are spotless (how does that work, when its been up a chicken's butt?).
But some of them are covered in ... well, frankly, chicken poop.
Not something I really want in my kitchen.
Does anyone know if there's any truth in this "don't wash the eggs" nonsense?
Or should she wash them, and then spray them with Dettol, or something like that?
Some insane old country weirdo told her that she shouldn't wash the eggs from her chickens because, if you wash them, then they are susceptible to bacteria.
(as an insane old country weirdo, he probably didn't use the word "susceptible")
So Mums has stopped washing them.
Some of the eggs she gives me are spotless (how does that work, when its been up a chicken's butt?).
But some of them are covered in ... well, frankly, chicken poop.
Not something I really want in my kitchen.
Does anyone know if there's any truth in this "don't wash the eggs" nonsense?
Or should she wash them, and then spray them with Dettol, or something like that?
Answers
Best Answer
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For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.Eggs are covered with an invisible membrane, that is lost when you wash them, yes it is true, hopefully the chickens are vaccinated. if you want to wash the eggs prior to cooking that is fine. Do not spray any chemical on the eggs as the egg shells are porous and will take on the taste and smell and possibly the toxicity. Do not write on the eggs except with a pencil for the same reasons.
Really fascinating article on precisely this topic from Forbes, last year JJ that you might find informative.
http:// www.for bes.com /sites/ nadiaar umugam/ 2012/10 /25/why -americ an-eggs -would- be-ille gal-in- a-briti sh-supe rmarket -and-vi ce-vers a/
Opening paragraph from the article;
"Believe it or not, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) graded eggs would be illegal if sold in the UK, or indeed anywhere in the European Union (EU). It’s all to do with the fact that commercial American eggs are federally required to be washed and sanitized before they reach the consumer. EU egg marketing laws, on the other hand, state that Class A eggs – those found on supermarkets shelves, must not be washed, or cleaned in any way.
“In Europe, the understanding is that this mandate actually encourages good husbandry on farms. It’s in the farmers’ best interests then to produce to cleanest eggs possible, as no one is going to buy their eggs if they’re dirty, ” explained Mark Williams, Chief Executive, British Egg Industry Council in a phone interview.
According to the USDA, despite how conscientious and thorough modern day farm-management practices might be, there will still be a small percentage of “dirty eggs” produced. Dirt almost always equates to chicken manure and, if the eggs are produced in a free-range system, other raw agricultural commodities that hens might pick up from roaming freely.
Any feces on the exterior of an egg shell poses a food safety threat from potential cross-contamination if, say, a consumer cracks open an egg then proceeds to prepare a salad with those same bacteria-riddled hands. Since egg shells are porous, there’s also the possibility of micro-organisms migrating inside the egg under certain conditions."
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Opening paragraph from the article;
"Believe it or not, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) graded eggs would be illegal if sold in the UK, or indeed anywhere in the European Union (EU). It’s all to do with the fact that commercial American eggs are federally required to be washed and sanitized before they reach the consumer. EU egg marketing laws, on the other hand, state that Class A eggs – those found on supermarkets shelves, must not be washed, or cleaned in any way.
“In Europe, the understanding is that this mandate actually encourages good husbandry on farms. It’s in the farmers’ best interests then to produce to cleanest eggs possible, as no one is going to buy their eggs if they’re dirty, ” explained Mark Williams, Chief Executive, British Egg Industry Council in a phone interview.
According to the USDA, despite how conscientious and thorough modern day farm-management practices might be, there will still be a small percentage of “dirty eggs” produced. Dirt almost always equates to chicken manure and, if the eggs are produced in a free-range system, other raw agricultural commodities that hens might pick up from roaming freely.
Any feces on the exterior of an egg shell poses a food safety threat from potential cross-contamination if, say, a consumer cracks open an egg then proceeds to prepare a salad with those same bacteria-riddled hands. Since egg shells are porous, there’s also the possibility of micro-organisms migrating inside the egg under certain conditions."
Our chickens would be classed as organic if we could be bothered with all the red tape and legalities. stupid nonsense anyway. I used to work in a crereal processing unit, one of my first jobs was to spray all the incoming organic corn with a "non organic" insecticide to kill all the bugs, that stayed on the corn that was then supplied to one of the largest breakfast cereal producers in the UK, and the organic corn was buy far inferior in quality to to the Non organic to the point that we would often blend it with the non organic just to boost the quality. This organic malarkey is often just a scam to boost profits.