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My mother taught me this as well. It's not a bad idea as can lids can be crawling with bacteria. The action of opening the can could force some of this bacteria into the food.
I will wipe them, if the tops are dusty. If I'm cooking the food, I don't bother washing the tops--the heat from cooking will take care of any bacteria. But for uncooked items, (fruit, tuna, etc....) I do wipe them well.
It's not a bad idea as can lids can be crawling with bacteria.
Doubtful, if the cans are bone dry. Most bacteria need moisture to survive any longer than a couple hours.
But still, who wants all that dust and dirt in their food? I scrub the business end of the can opener every now and then as well. It can get pretty cruddy.
Wife is big into that, and washing veggies......mostly potatoes. When I just slap it on the smoker/grill. Never have washed a potatoe or any veggie, we're still alive.
My brother used to laugh at my mom for washing the tops of cans. Then he worked for a grocery store while incollege and had to say, "Mom, you were right!"
He said that you won't believe the foot traffic of rodents and insects in the back rooms of grocery stores. (and by extension, in the warehouses they come from) Sometimes pallets of canned goods are even stepped on by stockers as they climb up to reach something on an uppershelf, for instance. And these guys have walked everywhere. Think public restrooms.
Yes, definitely wash those lids!
BTW One thing I learned in microbiology - not to encourage paranoia or anything - but bacteria live everywhere on everything, moist or not. Usually this is not an issue, because the vast majority of bacteria are not disease causing. But those that are can usually be kept under control with ordinary soap and water use.
Oh and on the veg and fruit wash? To me part of the idea there is to get rid of pesticides.
I would wash them... my cousin works in a very "BIG ROCHESTER NY GROCERY CHAIN" which I will not name (but many might know who i am talking about)... anyway- there are always birds that get in while the delivery trucks pull in... bird feces has been found on the cans... and there is the random mouse (but there are other bugs/animals in the trucks...).... I don't let the lid go into the can either- I make sure to pull the top of the can open (but I leave it attached) and then strain the contents...
I wash whatever end I will be opening. I also wash the can opener before and after each use because all kinds of nastiness can be found on the cog and cutter. I use a manual can opener for ease of cleaning.
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Mother knew best
or anything - but bacteria live everywhere on everything, moist or not. Usually this is not an issue, because the vast majority of bacteria are not disease causing. But those that are can usually be kept under control with ordinary soap and water use.
