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This news item reports a study demonstrating how washing raw chicken before cooking increases - rather than decreases - the risk of microbial food poisoning.
FULL STORY: https://www.sciencealert.com/here-s-why-washing-raw-chicken-is-dangerous
Experts Are Warning People Not to Wash Their Chicken. Here's Why It's So Dangerous
Slimy raw chicken collects who-knows-what in its goo during its journey into our kitchens. So it makes sense to give it a rinse before cooking, right? Wrong.
A new report from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and North Carolina State University backs what researchers have known for a while now - washing raw chicken meat increases your risk of food poisoning.
Raw chicken is often contaminated by dangerous bacteria such as Salmonella, Campylobacter and Clostridium perfringens. Foodborne illnesses, like those caused by these pesky microbes, strike one in six Americans every year according to the CDC.
But giving raw chicken a rinse doesn't eliminate these pathogens - that's what cooking is for. Washing the chicken just allows these dangerous microorganisms to spread, potentially by hitching a watery ride through spray, sponge or utensil.
"Even when consumers think they are effectively cleaning after washing poultry, this study shows that bacteria can easily spread to other surfaces and foods," explained USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety Mindy Brashears.
Researchers recruited 300 participants to prepare a meal involving chicken thighs and salad, dividing them into two groups. ...
FULL STORY: https://www.sciencealert.com/here-s-why-washing-raw-chicken-is-dangerous