Why washing raw chicken could make you seriously ill
The Food Standards Agency is urging the public to stop washing raw chicken because it increases the risk of contracting campylobacter.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has released a statement calling on people to stop washing raw chicken. Washing chicken can spread the potentially dangerous campylobacter bacteria onto hands, work surfaces, clothing and cooking equipment, because water splashes back from the raw meat.
The FSA has written to cookery programmes’ production companies to make sure that none of them are showing people washing chicken on TV.
Campylobacter
Campylobacter is the most common form of food poisoning in the UK, and affects around 280,000 people a year. The effects of the bacteria can be extremely severe, and in some cases can lead to death. The FSA found that only 28% of UK people know about it and, of those people who have heard the name, only around a third knew that poultry is the main source of the bacteria.
Water droplets splashing off raw chicken can travel up to 50cm in front of the chicken and 60-70cm to the sides – much further than you might have imagined.
The FSA has released this short educational video about the dangers of campylobacter:
For guidance on the safest way to handle chicken, read the FSA’s advice here.
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