Should we wash meat before cooking?

Hygiene and cleanliness is inextricably linked to washing with either hot or cold water. So the majority of consumers wash the meat (red or white) under running tap water or add hot water. So is the desired level of hygiene and quality assurance of the meat to be cooked achieved in this way?

From a scientific point of view, washing the meat does not in any way ensure its safety and the only thing that is created is cross contamination, since by pouring water germs are carried away and migrate from the surface of the meat irregularly throughout the sink, the utensil which has been placed to wash even the kitchen counter.

After all, the microbial load contained in a raw piece of meat is destroyed by the heat treatment it undergoes during cooking. Of course, in several cases it is possible to detect remains of foreign bodies such as small broken bones, hairs and it is sufficient to wipe them with dry or slightly damp kitchen paper. We should not forget that during the process of slaughtering an animal or poultry in organized meat processing units, the stage of washing is necessarily included.


Points of caution

The most important thing is to choose good raw materials from suppliers we trust and implement quality management and assurance systems, as well as to keep them in proper cooling conditions before cooking. During the pre-processing of the raw material at home (portioning, marinating, etc.) we must be diligent and careful when handling the kitchen towels, the utensils we use and washing our hands, in order to minimize any possibility of contamination. Having taken care of the above, all that remains is to choose the right recipe for a perfect cooking result!