CDC warns consumers not to wash raw chicken

The Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning consumers not to wash raw chicken.

In 2019, the agency tweeted that doing so can spread germs from the chicken to other food or utensils, but some social media users didn’t take the advice very well.

The CDC responded to the backlash, defending its stance that when washing raw chicken, splattering juices often contaminated with Campylobacteria bacteria (and sometimes salmonella and Clostridium perfringens bactera) can easily spread around the kitchen and even onto your clothes.

In fact, the CDC urged consumers not to wash any poultry, meat or eggs before cooking.

Instead, use a separate cutting board for raw chicken, never place cooked food or fresh produce on the same cutting board used for the chicken and be sure to wash the used cutting board, utensils, dishes and countertops with hot soapy water after prepping the chicken.

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