Experts cry foul over washing of poultry

Came across this article in today's paper about washing poultry. I never wash mine thinking when you prepare it that would kill the bacteria but I remember my Grandmother and my Mom, to this day, washing their poultry. Anyway here's an article that explains that.



   Experts cry foul over washing of poultry


If you are like most people, you rinse off raw chicken or turkey before cooking it.

But food-safety experts say the practice is not only useless — tap water doesn’t kill bacteria — it’s dangerous.

Why? All that bacteria can splash out of the sink and wind up on countertops, utensils and other food.

To get the word out, a public-health campaign was launched out of Philadelphia.

“What we didn’t realize was there is so much culinary information out there that says ‘Wash your poultry,’  ” said Jennifer Quinlan, a food microbiologist at Drexel University in Philadelphia.

A 2012 survey by Drexel researchers found that as many as 90 percent of Philadelphia-area residents reported washing poultry.

Poultry can harbor salmonella, campylobacter and other dangerous bacteria. Those two alone are responsible for nearly 2 million illnesses in the United States each year. Both can cause diarrhea, stomach cramps and fevers.

The bacteria is especially dangerous in young children, older people and those with weakened immune systems. Salmonella is responsible for about 400 deaths each year, and campylobacter kills about 76 people annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Rob Acquista, a supervisor in Columbus Public Health’s food-safety program, said basic food-preparation precautions include not washing poultry, hand washing and ensuring cutting boards used for meat aren’t used for other food items.As for chicken and turkey, the oven is the best bacteria-fighting tool in the kitchen.

“The only way you remove it is by cooking it,” Acquista said.

Jerry Bullock, owner of North Market Poultry and Game in the Short North, said he tries to keep bacteria at bay by buying only freshly butchered chicken and storing it in oxygen-free packaging on ice.

As for preparing it, “We never wash it before we cook it,” Bullock said.