Does washing eggs lead to increased Salmonella penetration?

• A. No; studies show no significant difference in penetration between washed and unwashed eggs.
• B. Yes; washing significantly increases penetration.
• C. Yes; washing completely prevents contamination.
• D. There is a slight reduction in penetration with washing.

Answer: (A)

Washing eggs is about whether cleaning the shell changes the chance that Salmonella gets inside the egg. The shell is porous, and Salmonella can be present on the surface, but evidence from studies comparing washed to unwashed eggs shows no significant difference in the amount of Salmonella that penetrates into the egg interior. So, properly performed washing does not meaningfully increase interior contamination, though it can reduce surface contamination if done with clean water and proper sanitization. The ideas that washing markedly increases penetration or that it completely prevents contamination aren’t supported, and the notion of a slight reduction isn’t the main takeaway from the data. In short, washing doesn’t meaningfully affect interior Salmonella penetration.