As it is often said, "Cleanliness is next to Godliness". Most of us have been brought up in such a way that we have to clean and wash everything properly. that is the right thing to do. when it comes to food stuffs like Meat, Vegetables and even Fruits, we are often advised to wash them before preparing or eating them.
After saying all these, one would ask, "why the headline?" Well, according to the UK’s Food Standards Agency, washing Raw Chicken spreads campylobacter bacteria, which causes food poisoning. That doesn't mean you shouldn't wash your food stuffs, just don't wash your raw chickens.
“Campylobacter can be spread easily and just a few bacteria could cause illness. This could come from raw or undercooked chicken, or from contamination due to washing raw chicken. The easiest way to protect yourself and your family is to follow our simple food safety tips every time you prepare food,” the agency wrote in a statement.
Here are the food safety tips:
1. Cover and chill raw chicken
Cover raw chicken and store at the bottom of the fridge so juices cannot drip on to other foods and contaminate them with food poisoning bacteria such as campylobacter.
2. Don't wash raw chicken
Cooking will kill any bacteria present, including campylobacter, while washing chicken can spread germs by splashing.
3. Wash used utensils
Thoroughly wash and clean all utensils, chopping boards, and surfaces used to prepare raw chicken. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and warm water after handling raw chicken. This helps stop the spread of campylobacter by avoiding cross contamination.
4. Cook chicken thoroughly
Make sure chicken is steaming hot all the way through before serving. Cut in to the thickest part of the meat and check that it is steaming hot with no pink meat and that the juices run clear.
Campylobacter is one of the most common causes of diarrhea-related illness, in the UK, 280,000 people are affected annually.
source: http://www.medicaldaily.com
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