9 foods you should/shouldn't wash

We understand that eating foods unwashed can make you sick because of microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi present in them. 

While it's safer and healthy to wash food before consumption, you might be doing more harm than good when you wash some foods. 

Here are some foods you may and may not wash before cooking or consuming. 

1. Raw Chicken: It's safer to kill bacteria present in raw chicken when you cook it unwashed. Some studies found out that about 60 percent of people that washed raw chicken had bacteria in their sink, and 26 percent had the bacteria transferred to their salad.
2. Eggs: Before a chicken lays egg, a thin membrane called bloom covers the shell. This bloom serves as protective layer to prevent bacteria from entering its tiny pores. 
Eggs should rather be cleaned and not washed because washing them doesn't remove germs. Keep eggs refrigerated at all times and cook properly.
3. Red Meat: Bacteria present in red meat can't be washed off completely because some are deep in the fibers. While washing them, some bacteria come off and cross contaminate the sink. Best and safe way to kill the bacteria is to cook them thoroughly and at a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees.

4. Fish: As red meat, fish should be cooked instead of washing it to avoid spreading bacteria in the sink and around your kitchen. However, fresh oysters, mussels, and other fresh sea food may be rinsed to get rid of sand and dirt.
5. Pasta: Have you been washing pasta before cooking? Most people wash pasta to reduce or remove starch. However, washing pasta makes it harder for the sauce to stick to it. 
6. Canned drinks: Well, who wouldn't rinse a canned drink? Dirt or germs stick around the mouth of canned drinks, so it's okay to even use soap to wash the lips. 
7. Beans: It's safe and okay to wash dry beans to get rid of dust. But it okay not to wash canned beans because washing it can reduce the sodium content by half.
8.Vegetables: Soak fruit and vegetables such as lettuce, cauliflower, and broccoli in clean and cold tap water for about 2 minutes to lower the chance of getting sick. 
9. Prewashed Salads: Some commercial salads bag indicates "your green has been pre-washed". If you see this, there's no need to rinse any further. 

Finally, before handling any food, wash your hands with hot water and soap, wash produce using clean and cold water and paper dry.