Chicken is by far the most eaten meat in the United States, as it is healthy, delicious, and quite simple to make. However, chicken food poisoning can be an unsurprisingly common scenario, especially when we don´t handle raw chicken the proper way. That’s why we need to make sure we take all the necessary measures when buying, handling, and cooking chicken. Otherwise, we might get a serious case of foodborne illness, also known as food poisoning.
Use a Disposable Bag
One of the best ways to prevent chicken food poisoning is by using a disposable bag and putting our chicken inside before putting it in our shopping card or freezing. This will help us prevent any of the raw chicken juices from getting onto other food items or surfaces. Raw chicken can be contaminated with campylobacter, salmonella, and clostridium perfringens bacteria, which can cause food poisoning.
Don’t Wash Raw Chicken
Even when there is a huge debate surrounding this, it is important that we remember not to wash raw chicken. It might sound counterintuitive at first, but there are many reasons why we shouldn’t wash raw chicken before cooking it. When we wash chicken, its juices can spread in the kitchen, contaminating other foods as well as utensils and surfaces there. This can result in a serious case of chicken food poisoning that we could have easily prevented.
Use Separate Plates and Boards
Another very effective way of preventing chicken food poisoning is by using separate plates, utensils, and cutting boards. As we mentioned above, chicken juices can be contaminated with different bacteria. When we put our food on surfaces where raw chicken has been placed before, it can contaminate the rest of the food we eat. That´s why we must always use different plates and boards, and wash them after having raw chicken on them.
Wash Utensils After Preparing Raw Chicken
It is very important that we thoroughly wash all our utensils after preparing raw chicken in order to prevent chicken food poisoning. We also need to wash cutting boards, countertops, and other surfaces that might have come into contact with raw chicken. Otherwise, the juices of raw chicken will contaminate our food, and this will lead to foodborne illness.
Handle Frozen Chicken as Raw Chicken
Lastly, we should always remember to handle frozen chicken just as we do with raw chicken. Many people tend to forget about this, especially when cooking frozen chicken in a microwave meal. However, in order to prevent chicken food poisoning, we should follow cooking directions carefully. This way, we will avoid any chicken juices from contaminating the rest of the meal, and we will be able to enjoy a healthy, delicious, and safe chicken dinner.