It is a known fact that raw chicken is loaded with harmful bacteria, so it is pretty normal that every single one of us that is a consumer of chicken meat would first give the chicken a good wash, right? Well apparently not.

Health experts are urging people to stop doing that and the reason why is shocking!

Believe it or not, washing raw chicken can kill you. Turns out, according to a study from Drexel University, when you wash a raw chicken, you’re not washing away the harmful bacteria but rather spreading it on the surface.

The head of the study – Jennifer Quinlan says that washing the chicken doesn’t actually get rid of the bacteria, but it increases the risk of it spreading around. This process is known as aerosolization and it usually leaves the kitchen filled with bacteria that get sprayed around.

It is also worth keeping in mind that bacteria such as listeria that lives on chicken in abundance can potentially kill you if it enters in your bloodstream. Children, who are known to have a weaker immune system, are at an even greater risk of this.

Even if you manage to survive and get the bacteria out of your bloodstream, there will be some serious consequences that you won’t like at all. Some of the side-effects you’ll experience are:

• Nausea
• Dehydration
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting

However listeria isn’t the only risk. There’s Salmonella as well, which is known to cause the following side-effects:

• Abdominal cramps
• Diarrhea
• Dehydration
• Reactive arthritis

So the next time you’re feeling like you need to wash raw chicken – think of this article!

The Proper Way to Handle Bacteria on Raw Chicken

According to the study of Dr. Quinlan – you’ll be perfectly safe if you don’t wash your chicken at all. Cooking the chicken to a minimum internal temperature of 165º F will kill off any bacteria.  

The only thing you need to make sure of is that you don’t touch the raw chicken with any surfaces. Also remember to keep raw chicken separated from other foods.

 

Source http://www.healthyproof.com/

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