Are you one of those determined that washing raw chicken makes it safer? Now is a good time to stop.
Credit: Alexa Lampasona
Credit: Alexa Lampasona
This week is
in the UK, and the Food Standards Agency is raising awareness to prevent the habit of washing chicken, which they found was a common practice in food preparation.
Research has found that washing raw chicken splashes bacteria over the counter, work surfaces, clothing and skin. This cross-contamination is likely to spread the unwanted bacteria.
The culprit? Campylobacter- which according to the CDC affects more 1.3 million people per year. Symptoms include diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain and cramping.
It only takes a very few Campylobacter organisms (fewer than 500) to make a person sick. Even one drop of juice from raw chicken meat can have enough Campylobacter in it to infect a person!
So stop washing raw chicken. As long as you cook chicken thoroughly, the harmful bacteria will die. And by not washing raw chicken, you won't have to worry about having that bacteria travel to your surroundings.
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