Can I eat hard boiled eggs peeled in possibly yellow water?
November 24, 2022 3:07 PM   Subscribe

I just peeled 15 eggs for deviled eggs under a running tap. A half hour later I filled a white bowl with water and saw the water was yellow. It’s not clear why the water is yellow and we haven’t had this happen before at my house. If I wash the (still uncut) eggs at my mom’s house are Ebro still edible? Or are there just too many questions and I should pitch them? :(
posted by hungrytiger to Food & Drink (10 answers total)
 
Why would you even take the chance. When in doubt, throw it out.
posted by Champagne Supernova at 3:23 PM on November 24, 2022 [3 favorites]


This article explains reasons for yellow tap water. It’s almost certainly safe.

A friend had this happen years ago and only noticed after she drank some. She called the city water department and they told her it was safe.
posted by FencingGal at 3:30 PM on November 24, 2022 [11 favorites]


When these sorts of situations arise in my own life, I always err on the side of "go ahead and eat it". I haven't regretted it.
posted by alex1965 at 3:52 PM on November 24, 2022 [6 favorites]


Since they’re not yet cut, I would put them in a steamer basket and steam them over rapidly boiling water for 5-7 minutes, then proceed with the deviling.
posted by jamjam at 4:12 PM on November 24, 2022 [1 favorite]


If you just peeled them under running water, I think that's fine because it's not like they were soaking in it. If you cooked them in it, that may be more questionable.

I tend to be "eh, I'll eat it" on things that I'm just serving myself. If I'm serving things to other people, well ... that's another matter. I think this is still probably OK, but also worth considering if these are an essential part of the meal. I have absolutely learned that if I have any doubt, it's better to toss it than suffer later.
posted by edencosmic at 4:18 PM on November 24, 2022


If it's yellow, let it mellow?

It's almost certainly fine - washing them again with non-yellow water will remove any risk anyway.
posted by dg at 4:30 PM on November 24, 2022 [1 favorite]


If you're on a municipal water supply, check your city's media feeds for new boil-water advisories. If you're on your own well, I would worry more.
posted by heatherlogan at 4:34 PM on November 24, 2022 [1 favorite]


We very occasionally get brownish water out of the tap. The first time I called the city and they explained that it was from flushing out the fire hydrants - iron sediment and safe to drink. Here’s some info I found by googling just now. I don’t know if that’s what’s going on for you - if you’re in the US, it seems like that wouldn’t happen on Thanksgiving - but if it is something along those lines, the eggs are totally fine.
posted by maleficent at 5:24 PM on November 24, 2022


I'd be worried about eating eggs that were cooked in yellow water (I wouldn't trust the water department's word that it's safe because I'm a suspicious bench) but if you merely rinsed eggs post-boiling? Nah, not even slightly worried, go ahead and eat the eggs.
posted by MiraK at 6:19 AM on November 25, 2022


If you are on city water, color changes are common after hydrants are flushed. The water is still safe, just might taste of iron. In any case, I'd eat them.
posted by Ausamor at 6:04 PM on November 25, 2022


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