Why Should You ALWAYS Avoid Washing Raw Chicken?
Many individuals have the natural inclination to wash the chicken before cooking it when preparing it for the table, but did you know that doing so can increase your risk of foodborne illness? That’s right, washing other meat or fish is also not advised. You’re making the situation worse by trying to wash the chicken to get rid of bacteria.
Raw chicken can splash and spread bacteria throughout the kitchen when it comes into contact with water. Foodborne illness could result from this since it can contaminate other foods, cooking equipment, and surfaces. For instance, if you wash chicken in the sink and then wash veggies in the same sink, the bacteria from the chicken may spread to the vegetables. Even if the vegetables are thoroughly cleaned or boiled before consumption, they can still be contaminated.
Salmonella and Campylobacter are two of the bacteria that are most frequently identified on raw chicken. The latter, which you might not be familiar with, is thought to be responsible for 2.5 million foodborne illness cases each year in the United States. Generally, eating raw or undercooked poultry can also cause these illnesses.
Imagine an amount of water being added in a splattering motion on top of any microorganisms that may be present on your chicken. This torrent will splatter various types of chicken-tainted water onto your counters, in your sink (where you wash other items), and onto the neighboring food. The UK National Health Service claims that washing chicken in running and splashing water makes the situation far worse. Because water droplets may reach far up and away when they are splashed. Running water can spread the bacteria from poultry to your sink, slab, clothes, aprons, cutlery, and hands. These two bacteria have the potential to produce significant foodborne illnesses with symptoms of diarrhea, fever, vomiting and cramping. According to research, bacteria can be spread by well over 3 feet just by washing chicken in your sink. That implies that you might have polluted and contaminated a sizable area of your kitchen.
What You Should Do Instead of Washing Chicken?
Not the sink, but on your stove, is the answer. The safest solution is to pat the meat dry with paper towels instead of washing your chicken to try and remove the viscous liquid that can occasionally accumulate in the packaging (also known as “purge”). It is the liquid released from meats as a result of cutting, movement from packaging and shipping, freezing, and thawing. This will also assist in enhancing the delicious gold/brown color you desire. But make sure that after wiping the chicken dry, you should always discard it if you detect any unpleasant odors.
Any dangerous bacteria are removed when chicken is cooked to the proper internal temperature of 165°F for one second. Therefore, rinsing is not required while cooking chicken properly. Although the ideal temperature for proteins differs, the same is true for other types of meat or fish. According to the USDA, these temperatures are necessary to eradicate microorganisms from the following proteins:
- Chicken: 165°F
- Fish & shellfish: 145°F
- Beef & pork: 145°F
- Ground meat: 155°F
Pro tip: Wash your hands, not the chicken.
Whenever you handle raw chicken, always wash your hands. Put on some gloves if you don’t like to handle raw meat or if you want to be extra hygienic. Also, remember to thoroughly clean and sanitize your cutting board, sink and any adjoining surfaces.
How to Handle Raw Chicken?
From the moment you pick up the chicken at the shop or it is delivered, to the moment you eat it, there is always a possibility of contamination. There are easy steps you may take to keep the chicken safe to consume.
- Avoid the raw liquids from the chicken touching other items, especially other raw foods like fruits and vegetables.
- Avoid any juices from /dripping onto any “ready to eat”, place the chicken in the very bottom of the refrigerator when storing.
- Before handling raw chicken, thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Never wash raw chicken. Rather, remove the chicken from its packaging and place it in the cooking pan. As long as you cook at the appropriate internal temperature, the heat from cooking will eliminate any bacteria that are present. Make sure the chicken reaches a cooking temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a thermometer for accuracy.
- Use a different cutting board and knife for raw chicken if you need to prepare the chicken, such as by removing the skin or breading. Never put cooked food or fresh veggies on a plate or cutting board that was used for raw chicken. Always wash and sanitize the plate or the cutting board with hot soapy water and sanitize.
It is important to properly sanitize the cutting board, knife, and equipment used to prepare raw chicken. It is necessary to wash your hands with soap and warm water for 20 full seconds to prevent the spread of bacteria.
Before eating any fruit or vegetables, whether you plan to eat it fresh or cooked, you should wash it. Washing produce aids in getting rid of any dirt or microorganisms that may be present, according to the USDA. The bacteria present can cause illness, with symptoms like fever, headaches, and more.
Although washing vegetables certainly ought to be a regular procedure, there is one exception. You can avoid washing produce that is marked “pre-washed” or “ready-to-eat,” as these items have already been thoroughly cleaned. Examples include bagged salads and pre-cut fruit. Actually, by washing it once again, you incur the risk of cross-contamination because it might come into contact with soiled kitchen surfaces just like chicken and other poultry items.
However, if you’re adamant about washing your chicken, give it a shot without washing it at least once to see whether you notice a difference. Try just wiping the chicken down with a paper towel. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling any raw meat, food, or tool that has come into contact with it. Maintaining health for yourself, your clients and customers requires handling and preparing raw poultry with extreme care.
Wright Food Training administers educational food safety training. Services via classroom and on-line instruction for those in the restaurant, hospitality, school, medical/hospital, childcare and numerous additional food service industries. ServSafe Food Manager Certification/Certified Food Protection Manager Certification earned through Wright Food Training is good in all 50 states for 5 years.