Washing raw chicken on the sink could make you sick. According to a new study published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, rinsing it cold could potentially spread harmful bacteria onto kitchen counters, even on already cooked meals.
Mindy Brashears, a deputy undersecretary at the USDA, said that “a lot of people dress their salads around the sink, so it’s cross-contaminated.” The agency has collaborated with the North Carolina State University to investigate how people in the U.S. prepare raw meat and how it affects our health.
The researchers enlisted the help of 300 people to prepare uncooked chicken and salad in test kitchens at N.C. State. Some of them were instructed to avoid rinsing the raw meat, while another control group cleaned it the traditional way.
Out of the 183 participants that washed their chicken on the sink, 54 of them contaminated their salads with bacteria from the raw meat. Brashears noted that most people would have “been peeling vegetables and drop it into the sink,” with the harmful microorganisms potentially spoiling it.
Some of the participants rinsed their raw chicken by soaking it in the sink either with soap, vinegar, or lemon juice. Ben Chapman, a food safety expert at N.C. state, said that “these are horror stories from a microbiological standpoint.”
Disclaimer
The information contained in South Florida Reporter is for general information purposes only.
The South Florida Reporter assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in the contents of the Service.
In no event shall the South Florida Reporter be liable for any special, direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental damages or any damages whatsoever, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tort, arising out of or in connection with the use of the Service or the contents of the Service. The Company reserves the right to make additions, deletions, or modifications to the contents of the Service at any time without prior notice.
The Company does not warrant that the Service is free of viruses or other harmful components
