Not intending to be judgemental but pretty strange . I wonder if your friend's mother always washed her food to this degree.

I have heard of people rinsing cooked ground beef to remove any remaining fat left after cooking. Also have heard that you should wash any fruit with a skin even if you don't eat the skin because by cutting or handing the skin you could transfer any pesticides or chemicals which are on the skin. Extreme to my way of thinking but apparently not to others. Probably harmless actions.

I've never heard of washing cooked food. I think that is extreme.....I don't care who you are.

It sounds like it could be symptoms of OCD, or something similar. When washing the meat for example, how does she react when she's told that no germs or diseases can survive the cooking process? Does she have a rational answer, does she not understand, or is her answer more toward the irrational? Examples of the irrational lean towards responses like --- "I can't eat it unless it's washed. If I eat it before washing, I'll get sick." or "I'll feel dirty or anxious if I eat something without washing it first."

Some people simply misunderstand 'dirt' or 'dirty'. But, even if her responses do lean toward the irrational, the root cause can simply be behavioral, or an example of light anxiety rather than a more deep-seated psychological, or even chemical problem.

Btw... because OCD manifests in many forms, it's more common than most people think. But it also should not be over-diagnosed as needing treatment. Some people, although technically having OCD-like symptoms, just have quirks. In this case, like others have mentioned, she may just feel washing is safer for raw foods, and dislikes the mouth feel of cooked meats. However, if she can't serve it to you without washing - is an example of where a line might need to be drawn.

I was thinking the same as satine, about the grease, and the contamination. For example, I wash the outside of all melons, since a knife can contaminate the inside after touching the rind, but I've never washed bananas, since the outer peel doesn't come in contact with the fruit.

Definitely odd behavior. Probably OCD. I wash fruits not in a shell, but I don't wash bananas, watermelons, or avocados. Washing cooked meat is downright bizarre.

Has anyone asked the woman her motivation? I don't think that anyone should guess or provide judgement until the person in question has indicated their reasons.

Sounds very irrational. It's perhaps some flavor of OCD.

The exterior of a just-cooked hamburger, having been subjected to a high temperature, is "cleaner" and more hygienic than either the water or the material she uses to wipe it. Don't tell her that, she's likely to start baking or frying her towels before using them.

During some of my Weight Watcher meetings over the years, I've heard members say they often rinse meat after cooking, to rid the grease. Mostly it is with hamburger. Some do so before crumbling into soup, taco salad, stews, etc... I don't believe it is an OCD issue with them, just for health/diet reasons.

I always wash melons before slicing, but not bananas.

After reading about the 2011 listeriosis outbreak, among others, I wash all melons. Melon contamination.

Also wash avocados, grapefruit, lemons and limes, because as with melons, the knife can spread the contaminates on the rind to the flesh. My sister asks that lemon slices be left off her water glass in restaurants--she's read that lemon slices are often contaminated.

The OCD aspect of this thread reminds me of a story a friend told about her x-MIL. If she was ill, the woman would spray a cloud of Lysol, then breath it in, thinking it would kill the germs in her lungs.

I worked at a produce market at one time and be came very aware of how many different people may have touched a fruit or vegetable before it was purchased. I don't do it, but I can understand why people would wash unpeeled bananas/ oranges and such to try to minimize germs that are spread hand to hand.

I don't wash cooked meat, but I can see why someone might to get rid of excess grease. Doesn't have to be for weight loss - could be for taste or digestive reasons.

I wash fruit with I am going to slice through. If I'm just going to peel it, no.

I agree with others that the woman's behavior is irrational and some sort of psychological disorder.

I agree with ya all....that's extreme behavior. Nope...never heard of it...

It doesn't hurt her or anyone else. Who knows...in the future we may be warned to do the same considering what they do to food these days. Let her wash it.

I'm with mama goose, i wash everything with a veg/fruit wash cleaner. just think of all the hands that touched that tomato, green beans, peach, apple or whatever....too gross to think about.....(i shop at a farmer's market, all pick-your-own, no prebag/prewrap)

now, washing cooked meat, that's just bizarre to me....

If she is elderly and has just started the bizarre behavior, I would say it is early stages dementia or Alzheimer's.

To answer your question: No, I've never heard of anyone doing that. But if that lady wants to wash her food, who is going to tell her not to? It is her decision, and apparently she is sticking to it!

Hi everyone, l-o-n-g time lurker at the Kitchen Table

I used to be a simple water rinser with fruits and veg until I needed a stem cell transplant (actually two)... I had NO immune system, so for many months I couldn't eat anything that hadn't been cooked to the nth degree. No salads, no raw no restaurants. As a matter of fact even black pepper was a big no no as it contains dirt.

Now, years later nothing goes into my refrigerator without a good wash using diluted LOC (an Amway product. A gallon of it was gifted to me sixteen years ago...I still have 1/3 of it left! ) I can't imagine not taking this step now, just the debris floating in the sink still shocks me. Using the LOC on broccoli is enough to make a believer out of the most sceptical of us. The color prior to washing is a dull green, after washing it's a beautiful bright green.

As for washing meat after cooking? I'm a foodie, so couldn't imagine washing that liquid gold flavor down the drain

Don't wash melons or bananas but have been know to rinse off cooked hamburger for casseroles to get rid of the excess fat.

After a little bit of reading on the internet, it appears that rinsing a cooked burger isn't all that rare. It's done to remove all possible grease remaining after draining. Not something that I'm going to do, but I don't think this person is whacky.

Washing and rinsing produce, all of it, is only prudent. Bananas are sprayed with chemical pesticides before and after harvest; the residue on the outside peel is the issue. At the grocery I handle bananas and other produce by slipping one of the plastic bags they provide over my hand, then drop whatever I'm buying into another bag. I'm extremely sensitive to the chemicals found in pesticides of any kind, chemical fragrances, and other things.

At home, everything gets washed and rinsed before storing on my counter or in the fridge. My own (organic) homegrown stuff gets a careful washing, too.

Just a bit off topic - this thread reminded me of someone who, after she cooked a hamburger in a skillet, removed the hamburger and then dipped the hamburger BUN face-down in the grease to sop it up. Auuuggghhhh! I don't believe I could have eaten that bun.

When I was working in a tiny restaurant my boss used to wash chicken with soap an water. This is not a good idea!

When we were in Costa Rica once, we went to banana plantation and watched. The banana bunch (I don't really recall the name of those big thing they take off the tree) are hosed with high pressure. Moving on a hook on a conveyor, another wash, only up close and personal, making sure no spiders are there. Then the bunch is pulled apart into manageable sizes and visually graded. Into a deep water bath that pushes the bunches along. Employees (wearing gloves and huge aprons) pull them out, give them a quick scan and into another deep water bath. Then they are picked up, shaken and put into cases. It was extremely efficient. Lots of water and acute visual inspections. I was fascinated at how quick it worked. Their fork lift was moving back and forth without delay.

Bet she has some big bills from the plumber.

I don't wash meat, but I do blot it with a paper towel to get rid of fat.

Its a good idea to wash fruits and vegetables that you intend to eat raw. I see no reason to wash cooked foods. In my opinion, if it needs washing, it has not been cooked enough - cook it some more instead. Rinsing cooked foods in water may introduce contaminants brought in by un-sanatized water.

people with heart transplants (maybe other transplants) are told to wash all veggies in a sink of water with a small amount of bleach added.

Since I'm a vegetarian and eat nothing but fruits, veggies, and grain, it's a wonder why I'm not dead from the non precautions I take. I have blueberries, black berries,cherries, grapes, raspberries, and watermelon every day for lunch. I put the first five in a colander and rinse under running water. No solution , no bleach, just water, and then I add the watermelon which I cut w/o washing the rind. Same with the avocado I eat every day for lunch. Never wash the skin. The only things I scrub with a brush are potatoes and sweet potatoes. As for other veggies...Brussels sprouts ,broccoli...they get the same treatment my fruit does, just a rinse.

Yes Lily, it is a miracle you aren't dead...HAHAHA! I just rinse my food too and scrub potatoes...can't believe I'm not dead either!