Do not wash raw chicken before cooking because it leads to doubling the risk of contamination and bacterial infection! – This latest recommendation is designed to stop the spread of bacteria present in the flesh.
It is not because chicken should not be washed but because we are doing wrong.
This type of poisoning has been known long time ago. But, unfortunately, majority of users are not yet aware of it.
An online survey has been conducted at an Agency for food standards in Britain. The survey has showed that 44% out of 4 500 Britons wash chicken before cooking.
Experts explain that water droplets create an environment for the spread of so-called campylobacter. This bacterium spreads on hands, work surfaces, clothing, kitchen utensils and appliances.
If meat is not washed, harmful bacteria are destroyed in the process of cooking, through heat treatment.
According to a research, in the UK 280,000 people suffer from this bacterium annually. Only 28% of people have heard of it. Campylobacter is the most common form of food poisoning and we mainly get it from poultry by insufficient trying to remove it meticulously.
The main recommendation from the Agency states to avoid contact with raw poultry.
The symptoms of such poisoning last for several days but the bacteria is known to be deadly, especially for children less than 5 years of age. Symptoms include diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain and cramping, general fatigue.
In most people the infection passes within several days, but it can sometimes lead to long-term health problems, including bowel syndrome and Guillain-Barre syndrome – a serious disease of the nervous system.
Tips using raw chicken
- Do not wash raw chicken meat.
- Cover the meat and store it in the fridge/freezer.
- Keep it in the lowest shelf, if stored in the fridge, so you avoid “meat” drops on other ingredients.
- Make sure the meat is cooked or baked enough.
- Thoroughly wash all dishes, utensils, cutting boards and surfaces used during the preparation of the meat.