Chicken and Food Safety

Food borne illnesses or food poisoning is one of the leading causes of illnesses and even deaths in many parts of the world. Most common food poisoning cases are caused due to Campylobacter, E. coli and Salmonella bacteria that are found in birds, cattle and poultry, respectively. Consumption of uncooked or raw chicken foodstuffs that are contaminated by these bacteria leads to chicken food poisoning and food illnesses. These bacterial infections can be serious and sometimes, even life-threatening if the person is already suffering from a poor state of health or a weakened immune system. Therefore, in order to avoid this, one should follow the chicken food safety measures recommended by the health organizations. Let us have a look at it in detail.

Food Safety Issues With Chicken
You need to buy, store, handle and cook with extra care to prevent contracting infections. Here are some safety measures that one needs to follow for poultry food safety.

Buying Chicken

• Chicken should be cold to touch while purchasing.
• It is always better to buy chicken as the last option when buying grocery.
• One must check whether the chicken is packed properly or use disposable bags to avoid contamination of other foodstuffs.
• When buying ready prepared chicken, one must check whether it is hot to touch.
• It is not recommended to buy a stuffed chicken for later use as it has high chances of getting spoiled.
• It is better to buy chicken products of the same brand rather than using the trial-and-error methods.

Storing Chicken

• Chicken bought from market should be immediately stored in the refrigerator at 40 degree Fahrenheit or 4 degree Celsius.
• It is advisable to check the expiry date of the chicken product and use it within the estimated time as the shelf life of chicken foods vary.
• Ready prepared chicken should be cut into pieces and stored in clean containers or disposable bags and frozen at the aforementioned temperature.
• It is better to avoid consuming freezer-burned chicken.
• Frozen chicken should NEVER be defrosted at the normal room temperature, i.e., directly over the counter.
• One should defrost chicken in the refrigerator, by placing it in cold water or heating it in the microwave.

Cooking Chicken

• One should make use of clean utensils while cooking frozen chicken to prevent the spread of bacteria.
• Cook chicken up to the estimated time and or until it is no longer pink inside.
• Actually it is not essential to wash raw chicken. Food safety rules suggest that all the harmful bacteria get killed, in any case, on cooking at a higher temperature.
• Chicken should be cooked separately and kept away from other raw foodstuffs or salads.
• Frozen chicken should be immediately cooked after defrosting. Especially if it is defrosted in a microwave.
• Do not store or freeze partially cooked chicken for later use as it may contain harmful bacteria.
• If the chicken is freezer-burned, chop off the affected portions before cooking.
• According to food safety rules, chicken, heated or cooked up to 165 degree Fahrenheit or 74 degree Celsius, is safe to consume.
• Marinade used for marinating chicken should be boiled before use. Also, it should not be stored and used again later.

Following these food safety measures and tips can help in prevention of infections. Lastly, one should also remember to use separate cutlery and utensils for cutting, chopping and cooking chicken to prevent contamination of other vegetarian or raw foodstuffs. Good luck!