I am looking for a safe way to wash our farm fresh eggs so that they are not only presentable to clients, but also safe for consumption. Does anyone know of a wash (store bought or homemade) that will kill bacteria without permeating the eggshell and thereby possibly contaminating the egg with unhealthy tox

-- Lauren Satterlee (LaurBenAus@AOL.com), February 19, 2002

Answers

Carla Emery recommended in her book, "The Old Fashioned Recipe Book" to use a quick wash with warm water and dishsoap, followed by a slightly warmer water rinse, and allow to air dry. This has worked well for me for 7 years so far. The doctor I worked for for 15 years said most any soap will kill germs as good or better than any high priced fancy stuff, no fancy antibacterial stuff needed.

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), February 19, 2002.

My Czech mother-in-law used diluted vinegar for 80 years. Guess it worked.

-- Rose (open_rose@hotmail.com), February 20, 2002.

I generally don't wash my eggs. But when I do I use wart water with a few drops of bleach and a good glug of vinegar. Donot use too much bleach just a few drops in a dish pan size container. It helps to get stains off white eggs. I also use a soft scrubbie thing,or rough washcloth.

-- Susan In Minnesota (nanaboo@paulbunyan.net), February 20, 2002.

Just use warmer than the egg water and dish soap on a designated scrubbie (those scrubbies made from netting are WONDERFUL and inexpensive). Make sure you dry the eggs well - I air dry some and then hand dry to inspect each egg. If the egg is cracked it will show up when you wash them.

-- Gailann Schrader (gtschrader@aol.com), February 20, 2002.

We also use warm water and a touch of dishsoap. Mostly because my husband brings in the eggs at dinner time. I wash them after all the dishes have been done. I use a sheet of paper towell and throw it out because I don't want what I'm washing off the eggs left on a scrubbie at my sink. Can't count on everyone here to know it's the "egg scrubbie". Most of our eggs don't look like they need washing at all, but we sure get some that are a mess! and they're in the bucket with the cleaner ones, so they all get washed to be on the safe side.

-- rose marie wild (wintersongfarm@yahoo.com), February 20, 2002.

I've read the best thing to do is use sandpaper to take off the yucky stuff. That way you don't upset the egg's natural ability to fend off bacteria.

-- Ann Markson (tngreenacres@hotmail.com), February 20, 2002.

I don't wash our eggs unless they are dirty.

If you do wash them then plain old dish detergent (we use Ajax) will work but you do want to make sure that the water you wash them in is at least twenty degrees or so warmer than the eggs.

The reason for this is that the warm water warms the eggs which causes the internal pressure to increase somewhat and therefore prevents the dirt, water, and soap on the outside of the egg from being sucked in through the pores of the egg.

Because the natural bloom has been cleaned off as well washed eggs don't keep as long as relatively clean unwashed eggs so I always make sure they're refrigerated.

.......Alan.

-- Alan (athagan@atlantic.net), February 20, 2002.

What Alan said. Also, I find that baking soda is extremely effective as an abrasive for getting the stains off shells, and is a safe "chemical."

-- Laura Jensen (lauraj@seedlaw.com), February 20, 2002.