FDA Says Stop Rinsing Off Raw Chicken…
Ok so here’s the debate: To rinse off your raw chicken before cooking or not to rinse off before cooking.
The FDA use to encourage this practice and now they are saying “Washing raw poultry before cooking it is not recommended” since bacteria can not be removed from raw chicken by washing, but only by cooking.
They say that washing risks splashing raw juices over the sink, counters, etc, which greatly increases the chances of salmonella and other illnesses through cross contamination.
Well what about that icky juice that chicken is sitting in while in the package, you ask? Well the FDA says  “it is mostly water which was absorbed by the chicken during the chilling process. Blood is removed from poultry during slaughter and only a small amount remains in the muscle tissue. An improperly bled chicken would have cherry red skin and is condemned at the plant.”
Ummm….ok here’s the thing. I CAN’T NOT wash off my chicken. It just seems so……wrong!! I totally understand their reason for recommending not to rinse raw chicken, but I just can’t get passed that slimy film that is sometimes on fresh chicken. I know it cooks off but….. perhaps it’s just a  mind thing with me.
Salmonella and other food-borne diseases are common, painful and can even cause death in kids, elderly or those with weak immune systems. I got food poisoning from a restaurant once and thought I was going to die! We certainly don’t want to contaminate our familes so what do you do if you just can’t get down with the no-rinse  rule?
Well here’s what I recently started doing:
I have a huge pail that I use to rinse off my meat. I sit it in the sink and turn the water on really low (so that it doesn’t splash) and rinse off my chicken. I wash my hands over the pail when I’m done washing my chicken and then flush the dirty water down the toilet. To clean the pail I spray it down with Clorox Anywhere Spray, let it sit and then wash it out and flush that water down the toilet. That way everything is contained and nothing gets contaminated.
*****************update********* Â Aint nobody got time for this!!! I went back to rinsing my chicken off carefully in the sink under low water pressure and then I clean the sink with my homemade spray of vinegar, citrus, tea tree oil and grapefruit oil.
So what do you think??? Do you rinse or not rinse?
Info: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/fact_sheets/chicken_from_farm_to_table/index.asp
Nope, whole, ground, pieces..I don’t care… everything gets washed. I usually wash mine in salt water there is a specific basin for it, and I jsut let it hang out in there for a while before cooking. Same for veggies.
I have to wash everything as well and like so many others have said, “you should be disinfecting anyway”. Dr. Oz said using a bleach & water mixture to wipe down everything is a must, so this is what I do. I
My parents cook all the time and never have I seen them wash any type of meat they are about to cook. I never had food poisoning or anything…same goes for my sister and brother. My kids also eat the foods they cook and they have never gotten sick either. Even if you rinse off that film, whatever bacteria or natural bacteria that is on the chicken/meat is still there. Unless you want to sterilize the meat, then you’re sure to totally get rid of any bacteria. Just because you’ve gotten rid of the sticky and slimy film doesn’t mean you’ve gotten rid of any bad bacteria. (yes there is good bacteria, like the bacteria located in our digestive system). Cooking (at the right temperature) will kill pathogens. A very important thing to do that no one has mentioned yet is washing your hands well…using scrub with soap and water is even better. And the soap doesn’t have to be that “antibacterial” soap, either. What should be a concern is bacteria that have spores. Some of those cannot be killed, even when cooking! And if you buy canned green beans, you better do more than just heat it up in the microwave. You need to boil that sucker.
Good points that you made in your posts. You’re so right about not using antibacterial soaps. We’ve been led to believe that these soaps are good, when in fact they are more harmful than good. I always wash my meats, sink, and hands very well whenever I’m dealing with raw meat. I don’t use bleach either. Hot, soapy water and homemade cleaners that are made with borax and vinegar and my family hasn’t gotten sick yet.
To tell you the truth I not only rinse my chicken but I have a big container from rubbermaid that I put my chicken in water and a little bit of clorax and salt. I let my chicken set overnight. The clorax is not going to hurt the chicken, I do not put alot in the water. Just a few drops. I have been doing this for years and no one has died from this. After I soak overnight, I pour the water and clorax off the chicken and rinse, dry season and cook.
I had chicken that smelled a little funky, I soaked it in cold water with a few drops of bleach, left for about 10 minutes, rinsed and soaked in plain water for a while, tasted fine, no problems whatsoever.
It’s ridiculous for the FDA to even bring this subject up. I’ve seen several documentaries on what goes on in live animal production plants. It’s heart wrenching and disgusting. They act like they are doing us a favor by mentioning this…Do us all a favor and close down these
contaminated facilities, and support true farming communities.
You’re so right! They don’t really care about the safety of the consumers. In my opinion, they only care about the size of their bank account. Those animals are treated horribly, and factory farms need to be shut down as you mentioned in your post. The USDA and FDA are not concerned with our safety, because if they were, then there would be no genetically engineered foods or filthy factory farms. I’m so glad to see someone who feels the way I do about food.
I rinse my meat because of habit, but I’ve noticed we don’t rinse our ground beef before cooking… or do u?
You make an excellent point. We DONT have to wash our meat.