Drexel University’s new food safety campaign targets consumers’ kitchen practices through a mini video series entitled “Don’t Wash Your Chicken,” according to a recent press release. The video series includes short dramatizations with family members educating their loved ones about food safety when preparing chicken.
The Drexel University study funded by USDA discovered that “chicken washing” was a common practice among minorities in the Philadelphia area. The campaign hopes to show consumers that even though raw meat is prone to bacteria, washing raw chicken does more harm than good. By washing chicken, water droplets carrying bacteria can travel out of the sink to counter tops and surrounding areas increasing the risk of cross contamination. The temperature of water in the sink is not high enough to kill bacteria so it does not have any benefit during food preparation. Only thoroughly cooking chicken at the recommended temperature, 165 degrees Fahrenheit, is enough to kill bacteria and prevent the risk of food borne illness.
