Do you love chicken? Do you wash chicken prior cooking it? Approximately 90% of you will nod your head saying a yes. We all know that raw chicken is full of bacteria like listeria and salmonella. It is totally logical that you would obviously wash it before you cook it. But do you know that many researchers and health experts’ advice that we should not wash chicken prior cooking? The answer to it might shock you! But you do not need to worry as we are going to tell everything that you should and shouldn’t do!
Washing Chicken could kill you!
A research has shown that when you wash chicken prior cooking it, you are actually spreading all the bacteria present in it all around and on whatever surface it is placed. Washing the raw chicken does not help get rid of the bacteria rather it spreads all around the place. The process is called aerosolization.
Harmful bacteria like listeria that lives in the chicken can actually kill you. If this harmful bacterium gets in your system (bloodstream) you have 1 in 5 chances of dying. If you are someone with a weaker immune system, then you are even at a greater risk.
Now, if you survived the above-mentioned bacteria, doesn’t mean you are safe. There is another bacterium called campylobacter that is present in the raw chicken. They are a common cause of food poisoning and generally shows symptoms like Vomiting, Diarrhea, Nausea and Dehydration.
Other bacteria, Salmonella that is present in the raw chicken can cause Abdominal Cramps, Severe Dehydration, Diarrhea and Reactive Arthritis.
