Why would I wash a chicken before cooking? Doesn't that spread germs all over my kitchen counters?

Eric McGill
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2 Comments

702551 October 29, 2018
The USDA recommends *NOT* washing chicken.

Here is a food handling PDF provided by USDA that is the top result when entering "USDA wash chicken" into an Internet search engine:

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/2ceaa425-0488-4e86-a397-e2d9c470fc4a/Washing_Food.pdf?MOD=AJPERES

Enjoy!
 
Nancy W. October 29, 2018
Yes. Washing chicken is an outmoded recommendation. See this NPR article.
https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2013/08/31/216948010/dont-panic-your-questions-on-not-washing-raw-chickens
 
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