Why washing chicken can increase Salmonella risk, not reduce it |

The first step many of us follow while preparing any chicken dish is rinsing the meat thoroughly. The thought that comes to our mind is “the more we wash it the more clean and safe it will be”. But did you know, in the case of chicken, food safety studies say something contrary. Studies show that washing chicken actually increases the risk of Salmonella infection, instead of reducing it. So, does it mean we should skip washing chicken altogether? Not exactly! Let’s understand the whole science behind it and how to manage safe consumption of chicken meat.

What is Salmonella and what risks it pose

Salmonella is a group of bacteria commonly found in the intestines of animals and humans. The World Health Organization Salmonella causes millions of infections around the world and is primarily through contaminated food such as meat, eggs, and unpasteurised dairy products.https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/salmonella-(non-typhoidal) The common symptoms include: Diarrhea, nausea, fever, vomiting and dehydration. Healthy adults usually recover within a week, but the infection can become serious in vulnerable groups. Why washing chicken increases the risk According to a study published in AIP publishing, the risk comes from water droplets ejected from the surface of the washed chicken. The study showed bacteria can be transferred from the surface of the chicken to surrounding surfaces via water droplets. The researchers also found that a higher tap height can increase splashing. https://pubs.aip.org/aip/pof/article-abstract/34/3/031910/2844655/Chickensplash-Exploring-the-health-concerns-of?redirectedFrom=fulltext What study from USDA says A 2019 study from the US department of agriculture revealed that “individuals are putting themselves at risk of illness when they wash or rinse raw poultry.”The study found that: Of the participants who washed their raw poultry, 60 percent had bacteria in their sink after washing or rinsing the poultry. 14 percent still had bacteria in their sinks after they attempted to clean the sink.26 percent of participants that washed raw poultry transferred bacteria from that raw poultry to their ready to eat salad lettuce. https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2019/08/20/washing-raw-poultry-our-science-your-choice So, should you not wash chicken before cooking Leaving the long held belief of washing chicken before cooking can be pretty difficult. So, if you’re reluctant to let go of this habit, it is important to practice with precaution. USDA recommends three prevention options:Significantly decrease your risk by preparing foods that will not be cooked, such as vegetables and salads, before handling and preparing raw meat and poultry. Thoroughly clean and sanitize ANY surface that has potentially touched or been contaminated from raw meat and poultry, or their juices.Destroy any illness causing bacteria by cooking meat and poultry to a safe internal temperature as measured by a food thermometer. The recommended temperature to cook chicken in (as per US FoodSafety.gov is Chicken 74°C.Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered professional medical advice or treatment.