The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has done it now. Well, they’ve done it again, actually. Once again, they’re asking us to stop washing our raw whole chickens, chicken breasts, legs, thighs, etc. Just stop already...you just need to make sure chicken is cooked to 165°F.

And people are saying, “Naw…thanks tho.”

Why shouldn't you wash raw chicken? According to the CDC...

Do not wash raw chicken. During washing, chicken juices can spread in the kitchen and contaminate other foods, utensils, and countertops.

Which is entirely true. You don't need a huge blast of water to make it happen. Even if you're careful, there are splashes and splooshes. And even if you clean up after with bleach, it is super possible you missed something. The CDC says, millions of people a year get sick from the germs from chicken.

What's amazing to me about all this isn't people saying, "No, thanks." I expect that for some reason. What I don't get is people thinking they're washing off the germs. Its the oven heat that kills the germs.

Raw chicken in the water isolated on white background. Ready for cooking.
Getty Images/iStockphoto
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I also learned, from the replies to the tweet, there are people using lemon juice/vinegar/ salt to clean the chicken, saying, "Using water is just idiotic." Its very much worth a read thru.

Listen to James Rabe 6a to 10a on Y-105 FM

 

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