I just can’t stomach the idea of not washing raw chicken before cooking it. The slime on it is really off-putting. Isn’t rinsing out my sink afterward good enough to prevent spreading any germs?
No, it’s not.
You shouldn’t wash or rinse raw chicken or any other raw poultry before cooking it, because doing so doesn’t kill any bacterial pathogens such as Campylobacter, salmonella, or other bacteria that might be on the inside and outside of raw chicken.
When you wash or rinse raw chicken, you are likely splashing chicken juices that can spread those pathogens in the kitchen and contaminate other foods, utensils, and countertops, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some estimates say the splatter can spread out and land on surfaces up to 3 feet away.
In fact, anew reportissued last week from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service showed dangerous levels of contamination between bacteria from raw poultry and other surfaces, and foods being prepared nearby.
The study involved 300 people who prepared a meal of chicken thighs and salad in a test kitchen. Of those who washed the chicken before cooking it, 60% were found to have left a trail of bacteria in the sinks and surrounding areas.
Even after washing out the sinks, 14% of the sinks were still contaminated with bacteria. Even worse, of the salads that were prepared in the test kitchen where participants washed the raw chicken, 26% were contaminated with bacteria from the raw chicken.
That’s a problem because pathogens such as Campylobacter and salmonella can survive on surfaces such as countertops for up to 32 hours, according to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service.
The only way to kill these potentially dangerous bacteria is to cook the chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Practicing sound, safe food handling is important, considering that 48 million Americans get sick with a foodborne illness every year, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die, according to the CDC.
“Everyone has a role to play in preventing illness from food,” according to a USDA written statement. “Please keep in mind that children, older adults, and those with compromised immune systems are especially at risk.
“Washing or rinsing raw meat and poultry can increase your risk as bacteria spreads around your kitchen, but not washing your hands for 20 seconds immediately after handling those raw foods is just as dangerous.”
To lessen your chances of developing a foodborne illness, the USDA says to:
- prepare foods that will be served uncooked, such as vegetables and salads, before handling raw meat or poultry.
- clean and sanitize thoroughly any surface that has potentially touched or been contaminated from raw meat and poultry, or their juices. To do this, clean sinks and countertops with hot, soapy water, let them dry, and then apply a sanitizer to them.
- wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds, rinse them under warm running water, and dry them with a clean cloth or paper towel after handling raw poultry or any other raw meat.
Lastly, be sure to cook your chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, using afood thermometerto measure the temperature. Beef, pork, lamb, and veal steaks, roasts, and chops are safe to eat at 145 degrees, while ground meats are safe to eat at 160 degrees, the USDA says.
Chow Line is a service of The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) and its outreach and research arms, Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC). Send questions to Chow Line, c/o Tracy Turner, 364 W. Lane Ave., Suite B120, Columbus, OH 43201, orturner.490@osu.edu.
Editor:This column was reviewed by Sanja Ilic, state food safety specialist, OSU Extension.
For more information, contact:
Sanja Ilic
State Food Safety Specialist
OSU Extension
FAQs
Of those who washed the chicken before cooking it, 60% were found to have left a trail of bacteria in the sinks and surrounding areas. Even after washing out the sinks, 14% of the sinks were still contaminated with bacteria.
Should you wash raw poultry? ›
From a food safety perspective, washing raw poultry, beef, pork, lamb or veal before cooking it is not recommended as the safest method. If you wash meat or poultry, some bacteria can be splashed on the surfaces of your kitchen, which can make you sick if not properly cleaned and sanitized.
What are the dangers of raw poultry? ›
When cooked, chicken can be a nutritious choice, but raw chicken can be contaminated with Campylobacter, Salmonella, or Clostridium perfringens germs. If you eat undercooked chicken, you can get a foodborne illness, also called food poisoning.
Should you wash chicken in FDA? ›
Do not rinse raw meat and poultry before cooking. Washing these foods makes it more likely for bacteria to spread to areas around the sink and countertops.
Should I wash chicken USDA? ›
USDA recommends against washing your raw poultry to help minimize the spread of bacteria; however, if you do wash your raw chicken wings, please remember to fully clean and sanitize surfaces that may have come in contact with raw juices, like your sink, countertop, cutting board and utensils.
Do professional chefs wash chicken? ›
Ask a few professional chefs, “Should you wash raw chicken?” and you'll get very different answers depending on who you ask. In general, though, chefs in the U.S. and Europe rarely wash chicken before cooking it for both flavor and safety reasons.
Are you supposed to wash chicken eggs? ›
It's not necessary or recommended for consumers to wash commercially packaged eggs, and it may actually increase the risk of contamination because the wash water can be "sucked" into the egg through the pores in the shell. When the chicken lays the egg, a protective coating is put on the outside by the hen.
Why can't we eat raw chicken? ›
Information. The United States Department of Agriculture does not recommend eating or tasting raw or undercooked poultry. Poultry may contain harmful bacteria. Thorough cooking is important to kill any bacteria that may be present in the food.
Are backyard chickens a health risk? ›
Live poultry may have Salmonella or Campylobacter germs in their droppings and on their bodies (feathers, feet, and beaks) even when they appear healthy and clean.
Is raw poultry a high risk food? ›
It's a common misconception that raw chicken is considered a high-risk food. Raw chicken can, indeed, cause illness if it is not cooked to the proper temperature or consumed when it hasn't properly thawed.
Raw chicken is ready to cook and doesn't need to be washed first. Washing these foods can spread germs to other foods, the sink, and the counter and make you sick. If you choose to wash chicken, do so as safely as possible (see steps).
Why do Jamaicans wash chicken? ›
It takes the "slime" and whatever other impurities off of the meat. I think it also makes it taste a whole lot better. I don't eat chicken anymore but I could always tell when a chicken was cleaned and when it wasn't.
Does vinegar disinfect raw chicken? ›
Research has shown that Salmonella weren't killed following soaking chicken in vinegar or citrus juice for more than five minutes. Other research shows that Campylobacter numbers may be reduced following a marinade in vinegar or lemon juice, but it takes 24 hours of soaking.
Does raw poultry need to be washed? ›
Washing or rinsing chicken increases risk.
Salmonella, Campylobacter and other harmful bacteria live on raw chicken. Washing or rinsing doesn't remove this risk, it worsens it by helping the bacteria spread.
Why shouldn't you wash a chicken before use? ›
When you rinse raw chicken, you effectively spread bacteria—namely salmonella and campylobacter, the two leading causes of bacterial foodborne illness—all over your sink, and those can infect your sponge and dirty your workspace. Put simply, if you wash raw chicken, you are cross-contaminating your kitchen.
Why do people wash raw chicken? ›
Some believe there is a need to wash faeces and other matter off the chicken meat. In fact, modern processing techniques mean chicken carcasses do not need additional cleaning. Others believe washing with a slightly acidic solution (such as vinegar or lemon juice) will kill bacteria.
Are you supposed to wash raw meat? ›
Do not wash or rinse raw meat or poultry before you cook it. Washing can cause bacteria found on the surface of meat or poultry to be spread to ready-to-eat foods, kitchen utensils, and counter surfaces. This is called cross-contamination.
How do you disinfect raw chicken after cutting? ›
Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and countertops with hot, soapy water, especially after they've held raw meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs. Wash dish cloths often in the hot cycle of your washing machine.
