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For many of us it is an entirely automatic procedure. We take the chicken out of the freezer, unwrap it and wash it under running cold water. We do this in good faith to clean the chicken. But unknowingly we do the exact opposite. Washing the chicken can cause us very unpleasant health problems. Read what risks you face and how this happens.
A dangerous bacterium lurks on chicken
You can happily enjoy a beef steak even bloody. But if you eat undercooked chicken, you are in for a serious problem. Chicken must always be thoroughly cooked. That is a basic rule everyone knows. Undercooked chicken is one of the most common causes of food poisoning. Every summer the news report mass food poisonings. Bet that most of them are caused by chicken. The danger also lurks during the very preparation of chicken, namely bacteria that occur on its surface. Among them is the very dangerous Campylobacter.
How can you get infected when washing chicken?
Unfortunately, very easily. For example, if you wash a whole chicken under running water. Drops of water splash everywhere. Along with the water you thus spread bacteria around the home. Droplets may splash onto your clothes or onto dishes you left to drain right next to the sink. Bacteria can therefore reach, very unnoticed, a distance of 50 cm from the sink. You can catch Campylobacter even without having eaten undercooked chicken. To make you ill, only a few bacteria are enough, and believe us, having Campylobacter is no picnic. You will feel ill, you may vomit, have severe diarrhea and high fevers.
What to do to avoid getting infected with Campylobacter
Rule number one reads: Always cook chicken very thoroughly. If you find that the chicken is bloody from the bone, do not eat it!
Also follow the following recommendations:
- Do not wash the chicken before cooking or roasting
- In the refrigerator store raw chicken completely at the very bottom so that no juices drip from it onto other foods. Ideally, seal the chicken inside an airtight container
- Freezing reduces the amount of Campylobacter bacteria
Also remember to always thoroughly disinfect the surfaces on which you cut or portion the chicken. Also thoroughly wash knives and any used dishes.
