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Stop Rinsing Your Raw Chicken. You Are Actually Making It Less Safe!

Do it now!

Cover image via Drexel University

Washing raw chicken is an age-old habit among people

Some do it because they think it removes germs, others just want to get the slime off.

This practice of rinsing raw chicken comes from the belief that it's a "safer thing to do".

But what if we told you, you are actually making it less safe?

In fact, washing raw chicken (or pork or fish) is a bad idea

According to Jennifer Quinlan, a food safety researcher at Drexel University, washing raw chicken under running water in your kitchen sink increases the chances that it will spread the foodborne pathogens that are on your chicken all over the rest of your kitchen too, through a process called aerosolization.

Image via Drexel

Bacteria can fly up to 3 feet away from where your chicken is rinsed. Still not convinced? Check out this "germ-vision" animation that shows how tiny particles of bacteria can spray far and wide when chicken is washed:

What you can do instead, in order to remove the bacteria:

Cook your chicken properly.

Yes, simply take raw chicken straight from the package into the cooking pan. The heat from the cooking process will kill any bacteria that are present.

Chicken needs to reach an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

And later, wash your hands and used utensils

Just make sure everything that has come in contact with the raw chicken has been thoroughly scrubbed. Use hot water and soap to wash your hands.

Also, check out if microwaving zaps nutrients out of food:

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