K A S H R U T . C O M_©

Chicken doesn’t need to be washed before cooking – here’s why

November 24, 2023 - from the The Conversation:

"Why chicken really shouldn’t be washed: Traces of feathers, slime or dirt might have necessitated washing chicken half a century ago. But nowadays, poultry is pre-washed and ready to cook when you buy it.

"Still, some people seem to think you should wash your chicken in order to remove the dangerous microorganisms raw meat contains. While it’s true chicken does contain harmful microorganisms, washing prior to cooking doesn’t remove them.

"Chicken in particular naturally carries Salmonella and Campylobacter. These can cause very severe illness, with infections causing symptoms such as fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and possibly even septicaemia (blood infection).

"Children, elderly people, pregnant women and those with other health conditions or poor immune systems are most at risk of illness from these bacteria. But even in healthy people, Salmonella and Campylobacter infections can lead to hospitalisations and death.

"Washing chicken prior to cooking does not eliminate all the germs within a chicken. At most, it may only remove the bacteria on the surface. But this practice actually makes the overall infection risk from raw chicken significantly worse, as it may potentially cause the pathogens washed off the chicken skin to spread throughout your kitchen.

"When you put raw chicken under the tap, the bacteria on the skin move into the water stream. This will then be splashed into your sink – and potentially your surrounding counters, cupboards and dish rack. This water spray can travel up to 80cm – the length of the average adult arm. This makes cross-contamination pretty likely, especially if these water droplets have landed elsewhere in your kitchen. It may even contaminate other uncooked foods you later place in the same sink.

"Even if you rinse the sink with water after washing the chicken, this may not be sufficient to remove all the pathogenic bacteria that have become attached.

"You cannot remove the bacteria from your chicken, or indeed any poultry or meat, by washing it. The only way to kill germs and make the food safe to eat is by cooking it.

"Cooking poultry at the correct temperature and for the right amount of time is essential for preventing many foodborne illnesses. While the time and temperature will vary depending on how large your chicken is or the recipe you’re using, your chicken should reach an internal temperature of about 75°C. This is effective at killing bacterial pathogens, including Salmonella and Campylobacter.

"Be sure to use a meat thermometer to check your chicken is safe to eat. Another test is to check the juices from the chicken. If they run clear and there’s no trace of blood, the chicken is probably cooked sufficiently.

"If you’re served what looks like under-cooked chicken, or indeed any poultry, in a restaurant (you can see blood when you cut into the meat) send the food back to be cooked properly.

"The bacteria found on raw poultry is natural even though it’s harmful for humans. But so long as you adequately cook your chicken, it’s still safe to eat."