To prevent certain diseases, we tend to systematically wash our food before consuming it. Of course, to preserve our health, it is essential to disinfect the products. However, not everything we eat has to be washed. Before cooking your chicken, for example, you probably run it under water, right? Well, that's a mistake! It's a reflex that seems logical to you, but it's a gesture that you absolutely must banish. The chicken does not wash, neither with water nor with any other product.
You should know that the flesh of raw chicken is a nest of bacteria: by rinsing it in the sink or by immersing it in a basin, you run the risk of scattering them all over the sink, dishes and other kitchen surfaces. The bacteria present in the chicken can thus cause food poisoning which triggers heavy and painful symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, fever and other unpleasant discomforts. As cited in an article published by the Cleveland Clinic, these microorganisms are responsible for diseases such as salmonella and other types of poisoning which, if not detected in time, can worsen the health effects.
Let's see in this article how you can clean and cook chicken properly to avoid all these inconveniences.
How to properly clean the chicken?
The chicken is not washed in water, ever! This sentence should be remembered by all people who cook this type of meat. Fortunately, there are other methods to properly prepare chicken and eat it safely.
Store raw chicken in the lowest part of your fridge or freezer. In this way, you will prevent its juice from contaminating other foods and therefore prevent its bacteria from spreading. Use a special cutting board for chicken. This way, there will be no cross-contamination and the germs will stay where they belong. With perfectly clean hands, you can take a paper towel to gently wipe the chicken. In this way, you will eliminate some of the liquid containing bacteria.
N.B: whenever you plan to cook the chicken, wash your hands well with soap and water before and after handling the protein (wash your hands, not the chicken!).
How to cook chicken in the best way?
Warning: while some foods can be eaten raw, never plan to eat your chicken raw. To make sure it's cooked properly, use a kitchen thermometer. Chicken is cooked and safe when it reaches 160°F (73.8°C).
It is essential to wash cutting boards that have been used with soap and water to remove any potentially contaminated residue.
According to a publication from the CDC (United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), salmonella is one of the leading causes of food poisoning. Its main trigger is chicken, so much so that in the United States, one in twenty-five packages of this food is known to be contaminated with this bacteria.
To avoid salmonella poisoning, it is recommended to cook the chicken properly, not to wash it with water and to make sure that the juices of its flesh do not come into contact with other surfaces or food. This will keep all disease-causing bacteria away from your food, the environment, and your stomach.