NIGERIA: Registered dietitian-nutritionists have warned Nigerians against boiling unpeeled eggs together with rice, saying the practice could increase the risk of cross-contamination and foodborne infections.
The experts said contaminants, including Salmonella and E. coli, could be present on eggshells and potentially come into contact with rice when both foods are cooked in the same pot, reports The PUNCH.
They advised Nigerians to cook the two foods separately, stressing that the need to save cooking time, water or fuel should not override food-safety considerations.
The warning follows a recent viral post on X in which some users shared experiences and concerns about possible contamination after eating rice prepared in the same pot with boiled eggs.
Speaking on the issue, a registered dietitian-nutritionist and former Director of Nutrition Services and Health Education at the Osun State Primary Health Care Development Board, James Oloyede, said boiling eggs with rice could create a pathway for bacteria on eggshells to contaminate the food.
Oloyede explained that although high temperatures can destroy Salmonella, the bacteria could potentially be transferred during the earlier stages of cooking, before the water reaches boiling point.
He said, “Cooking egg and rice together in the same pot has been found to be a risk factor in cross-contamination of certain bacteria, especially Salmonella, that can be found on the shell of the egg even after washing with the rice that is being cooked.”
According to him, the risk is linked partly to the way rice absorbs water during cooking.
“The challenge with rice is that absorption begins to take place the moment you put your rice in the water. When the water begins to warm up, we see the rice grain begin to swell. What makes it swell is the absorption of the water,” he said.
Oloyede added that if contaminated material from an eggshell entered the cooking water, it could come into contact with the rice during the cooking process.
He also noted that eggshells could crack while boiling, causing portions of the egg to spill into the rice and potentially affecting its appearance, taste and odour.
“Apart from that, in most cases, even when you boil an egg in water, you see that at times the shell can crack. You see some of the white parts of the egg coming out from the shell,” Oloyede said.
He acknowledged that some Nigerians cook the foods together to save time and reduce fuel consumption, particularly amid the high cost of cooking gas.
He said some people resort to putting eggs in nylon before placing them in the pot with rice to prevent the contents of a cracked egg from mixing with the rice.
However, Oloyede maintained that cooking the foods separately remained the safest option.
“But of course, the safest way of cooking egg and rice is to boil them separately. That’s the safest way,” he said.
He further warned that the consequences of foodborne infections could extend beyond the immediate health effects, potentially resulting in medical expenses, lost working hours and reduced productivity.
Oloyede said, “Whatever we do, we must think of food safety first, because if there’s a cross-contamination, the cost of treating a food infection from Salmonella, then the time you waste in going to the hospital, then the time you will take off work and productivity, outweigh the cost of gas or the time you are trying to save by cooking both together.”
Another registered dietitian-nutritionist, Charles Oguikpe, similarly warned against boiling eggs in the same pot with rice, saying contaminants on eggshells could potentially be transferred to the rice.
According to Oguikpe, contaminants such as Salmonella or E. coli can be associated with poultry environments and may be present on eggshells.
“So the reason why we consider boiling eggs in the same pot while cooking rice on a sieve is that some contaminants in eggshells can cause harm to the human body because these contaminants will be dropped off on the rice. Contaminants like Salmonella or E. coli can drop off on the rice. That’s what we call cross-contamination,” he said.
He said foodborne infections could cause symptoms including stomach cramps, diarrhoea and fever, while severe infections could lead to complications requiring medical attention.
Oguikpe said the contaminants could originate from poultry droppings and cautioned that washing eggshells does not guarantee that all potential contaminants have been eliminated.
“These contaminants are from poultry droppings from the chickens that lay these eggs. No matter how you wash it, you might not be very sure 100 per cent that it has gone off,” he said.
He therefore advised Nigerians to cook eggs and rice separately.
“So, it is advisable that you boil your eggs separately and cook your rice separately. And when the egg has been boiled, the shells are removed. It becomes edible for us to eat,” Oguikpe said.
