[jason]

Julia Child and other old cookbooks may tell you to wash raw chicken before cooking, but health agencies are warning against it.

The British Food Standards Agency has joined the chorus that advises to stop rinsing off raw chicken. The agency contends that 65 per cent of all raw chicken is contaminated with campylobacter, which causes food poisoning.

Cooking kills the bacteria; washing raw chicken just spreads it around the kitchen, the FSA says.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has long warned against spreading campylobacter through raw food, including chicken, and advised washing hands and surfaces with soap and water after handling.

Campylobacter jejuni, which can cause stomach cramps, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, is found in the intestines of poultry, cattle and pigs. It is responsible for up to 14 per cent of the cases of diarrhea, according to Ontario’s Workplace Safety & Insurance Board.

more http://www.healthzone.ca/health/articlePrint/843690

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I never knew you were supposed to wash raw chicken.

[chunk]

I never knew either but I do find it funny that most times they change things around and I never agree, this time I do as it makes total sense. I know too many cooks that complain about this already.

[toby70]

As long as you are very careful about unwrapping the chicken and placing it straight into the dish where it is going to be cooked, then immediately washing your hands, you should not have a problem. We eat chicken all the time and have never been sick.

[Swinky]

That's good information, Jason. I know a lot of people who still wash chicken before they cook it. Does this apply to all types of poultry or just chicken?

[jason]

Originally Posted by toby70

As long as you are very careful about unwrapping the chicken and placing it straight into the dish where it is going to be cooked, then immediately washing your hands, you should not have a problem. We eat chicken all the time and have never been sick.

This is what I typically do. Straight from package to cooking dish.

Originally Posted by Swinky

That's good information, Jason. I know a lot of people who still wash chicken before they cook it. Does this apply to all types of poultry or just chicken?

I'm not sure. I would have read the article again. I can tell you I wash my turkey, but that is only because I brine it first, so I rinse it after the brine to get the extra salt off. Learned the hard way one day.

[Mountain Mama]

I've never heard of washing your chicken before cooking it. We always make sure it's cooked all of the way through before we eat it. I can't stand red chicken in the middle of the piece of chicken. So I cook it really well. I'm glad to know I was ahead of the game on this one.

[Gettingby]

I have never washed any kind of poultry before I always take it straight from package to dish but sounds like a good thing I don't!

[Cheer13]

That is really interesting. I am one that ALWAYS washes chicken prior to cooking it. I don't know why I just do. Actually I rinse all meat prior to cooking it (besides burger). I didn't know that it would just spread the bacteria.

[mamabear]

I always wash meat before cooking and I remove the skin from the chicken meat. I did not know about that bacteria until I read this article. Thanks for the information.