Should you wash raw chicken before cooking or not?
We were always told that we should wash raw chicken before preparing it in order to remove possible salmonella bacteria. This way, you can safely prepare your food and don’t run the risk of falling ill. But is this actually true?
Do you wash your chicken before cooking it or do you just chuck it in the pan?
Bacteria
A lot of chicken is contaminated with the so called campylobacter bacterium. These bacteria live in the intestines of animals and end up everywhere through their feces – like on the meat of a chicken. Campylobacter can cause serious food poisoning, which can even have you end up in hospital. Rinsing the chicken doesn’t help at all to remove the bacteria; the only way to get rid of it is by heating the chicken sufficiently.
Salmonella
Moreover, chicken often contains salmonella. This bacteria can make you very ill very quickly. Salmonella causes diarrhoea, fever and stomach cramps which can make you feel quite ill. You have probably heard the warnings about raw meat, especially chicken, because it can contain salmonella. This is absolutely true! You should never consume raw meat and you need to be careful when you touch it, as you always need to wash your hands afterwards. Some people think it’s better to wash chicken before they cook it, to rinse away the bacteria such as salmonella. But, is this wise?
Cross-contamination
By rinsing raw chicken under the tap you can unwittingly cause the bacteria to spread throughout the kitchen along with splashes of water. These bacteria might even end up in a glass of water, on freshly washed vegetables or on your chopping board. This is called cross-contamination and it can make you pretty ill! So, don’t wash your chicken, but instead simply make sure it’s heated through and through. It’s also important to immediately wash the cutlery you used to prepare the chicken with water and soap.
Prevent
To prevent getting ill from the disgusting salmonella or campylobacter bacteria, there are a few precautions you can take. Always check the best-by date on the packaging and never eat chicken that’s past that date. Use an insulated bag or a cooler to transport chicken from the supermarket to your fridge. Always put the chicken in the fridge immediately! This prevents bacteria from growing. Wash your hands before handling chicken, but certainly after as well! Also wash everything the chicken has come into contact with, the knife, cutting board, etc. Always heat the chicken through and through and make sure it’s completely cooked before consuming it. Don’t keep cooked chicken in the fridge for longer than two days.
