By Peace Erewunmi

Boiling eggs in the same pot while cooking rice has become a common practice in many Nigerian households, largely as a way to save time, cooking gas, and effort. However, food safety and public health experts are cautioning that the practice may pose hygiene and food safety risks if proper precautions are not observed.

According to food safety experts, eggshells can carry harmful microorganisms such as Salmonella and Escherichia coli (E. coli), especially when they are contaminated with poultry droppings, soil, or other environmental materials. While the inside of an egg is generally protected by the shell, the outer surface may harbour bacteria that can contaminate surrounding food during cooking.

A 2023 study conducted by researchers at the Federal College of Agriculture, Ibadan, examined rice cooked together with eggs. The researchers found no detectable Salmonella or E. coli in rice cooked with properly washed eggs. However, rice cooked with unwashed eggs showed detectable levels of both bacteria, leading the researchers to recommend against cooking rice with unwashed eggs in the same pot.

Experts note that although boiling temperatures are sufficient to kill Salmonella, contamination can still occur if eggs are dirty, cracked, or handled improperly before cooking. They therefore recommend washing visibly dirty eggs carefully, discarding cracked eggs, and maintaining good kitchen hygiene to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.

Nutritionists also advise that, where possible, eggs should be boiled separately from rice or other foods. Doing so makes it easier to maintain food hygiene, prevents shell fragments from entering the meal, and reduces the possibility of transferring contaminants from the eggshell to other ingredients.

Some food safety specialists acknowledge that many households have boiled eggs alongside rice for years without obvious health problems. They explain that the overall risk depends on factors such as the cleanliness of the eggs, whether the shells are intact, and how the food is handled before and after cooking. Nevertheless, they recommend adopting safer food preparation practices wherever possible.

Health professionals encourage consumers to practise proper food hygiene by washing their hands before handling food, cleaning cooking utensils thoroughly, refrigerating eggs appropriately, and ensuring that both rice and eggs are cooked completely before consumption. They stress that these measures are more important for food safety than simply whether the eggs are cooked in the same pot as the rice.