Why Nigerians Should Stop Boiling Eggs and Rice Together – Experts

Registered dietician-nutritionists have advised Nigerians against boiling unpeeled and unwashed eggs together with rice, warning that the practice could increase the risk of cross-contamination and foodborne infections.

The experts explained that bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli could be present on eggshells and may contaminate rice when both foods are cooked in the same pot.

They noted that although adequate cooking can destroy bacteria, the period during which the water gradually heats before reaching boiling point could provide an opportunity for bacteria to survive and potentially spread to the rice.

The nutritionists also warned that eggshells could crack during cooking, allowing egg contents to spill into the rice and affect its appearance, taste and odour.

While acknowledging that some Nigerians cook the foods together to save time, water, cooking utensils and cooking gas, the experts said food safety should take precedence over such savings because foodborne infections could lead to medical expenses, lost work time and reduced productivity.

The warning follows a recent viral post on X in which users shared experiences involving alleged food contamination after consuming meals prepared by boiling rice and eggs together.

An experienced nutrition and public health practitioner, Registered Dietician-Nutritionist James Oloyede, said cooking eggs together with rice could expose the rice to Salmonella bacteria that may be present on the eggshell, even after washing.

Oloyede, a former Director of Nutrition Services and Health Education at the Osun State Primary Health Care Development Board, said cooking both foods in the same pot could create a cross-contamination risk.

“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,” he said.

He explained that rice begins absorbing water as soon as it is placed in a pot, meaning that if the cooking water becomes contaminated, the rice could absorb the bacteria along with the water.

“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.

“And if the egg contains Salmonella bacteria, the tendency is that when the rice is absorbing water, then the bacteria can also be absorbed together with the water and can remain throughout the process of the boiling,” Oloyede said.

He therefore advised Nigerians to cook rice and eggs separately as a safer approach to reducing the risk of cross-contamination.

Oloyede also noted that eggshells could crack during cooking, allowing some of the egg white to spill into the rice.

“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.

“And if that happens with rice that has been boiled together, definitely some of those white particles will spread on the rice that has been boiled,” he said.

According to him, the spilled egg could also alter the taste, appearance and odour of the rice.

Oloyede acknowledged that some people combine the foods to save cooking time and gas, particularly amid the high cost of cooking fuel.

He said some people resorted to placing eggs in nylon before putting them in the pot of rice to prevent the egg contents from coming into contact with the rice if the shells cracked.

However, he 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,” Oloyede said.

He stressed that food safety should take priority over the money or time saved by cooking the foods together.

Oloyede added that Salmonella infection could result in medical expenses, time away from work and reduced productivity, particularly for daily-paid workers.

He said the potential cost of treating a foodborne infection and the associated loss of productivity could outweigh the savings from using less gas or cooking time.

Also, a Registered Dietician-Nutritionist, Charles Oguikpe, warned against boiling eggs in the same pot with rice, saying contaminants on eggshells could be transferred to the rice.

“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,” Oguikpe said.

He said such contamination could lead to symptoms including stomach cramps, diarrhoea and fever, while severe infections could result in complications requiring medical attention.

Oguikpe explained that the contaminants could originate from poultry droppings from chickens that lay the eggs, adding that washing the shells might not completely eliminate the risk.

“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 boil eggs separately and cook rice separately, adding that eggs should be shelled before consumption.

“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.