Chicken is delicious… and unfortunately also quite dangerous. Over 1 million people get sick from eating contaminated poultry every year, according to the CDC. One in every 25 chickens at grocery stores is likely to contain salmonella.
Ever wondered why chicken (and other poultry) is so dangerous? Learn more about how it’s processed here.
It’s important to handle chicken safely at every point along the process.
Purchasing and Storage
Keep chicken below everything else to prevent juices from dripping on to anything and contaminating them. If you can’t do that, make sure it is well packaged and can’t leak.
Keep chicken refrigerated at all times. Once cooked, cool it within 2 hours.
Preparing
Wash your hands well before and after handling chicken.
Do not wash chicken. It is ready to cook out of the package, and washing it only spreads risky pathogens in and around your sink.
Prepare raw chicken separately from any other food.
Wash all surfaces and tools with hot, soapy water after preparing chicken.
Cooking
Use a kitchen thermometer to make sure chicken gets to at least 165°F. Insert the probe in to the thickest part of the meat.
