Does washing raw chicken make it safer to eat? No, according to Drexel researchers
theGRIO REPORT - Does washing raw chicken make it safer to eat? The answer is no, according to researchers at Drexel University...
Does washing raw chicken make it safer to eat?
The answer is no, according to researchers at Drexel University.
Jennifer Quinlan, an Associate Professor in the university’s Nutrition Science Department, and others have started a campaign called “Don’t Wash Your Chicken.”
The researches claim washing raw chicken is a “bad habit” that actually “spreads germs.”
“People are attached to the idea of washing raw poultry,” Quinlan said, according to CBS News. “Some think they’re cleaning off germs. Some just want to get slime off, or feel like it’s dirty.”
But that’s not the case.  Quinlan and colleagues at New Mexico State University have compiled a series of videos and other resources to illustrated what actually happens when you do wash:
[youtubevid video=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=JZXDotD4p9c” id=”JZXDotD4p9c” w=”640″ h=”360″]
According to the campaign’s website:
If germs were visible to the naked eye, you would see that washing poultry just splashes bacteria all over you, your kitchen towels, your countertops, and any other food you have nearby, such as raw foods or salads. This can make people sick, especially young children, pregnant women, older adults and the immunocompromised.
So, what should you do?
According to these researchers, the best way to stay safe is to make sure that the chicken is cooked all the way through.
No matter what kind of heat (cooked, grilled, fried) you use, it’s the hot temperature that kills the germs, not the pre-wash.
Interesting.
