Although it may be tempting for cooks to rinse off raw chicken - even beloved celebrity chef Julia Child admitted to doing it - researchers argue that it actually spread bacteria such as Salmonella.
In honor of National Food Safety Education Month this September, Drexel University, New Mexico State University and the Partnership for Food Safety Education non-profit teamed up to launch the "Don't Wash Your Chicken" educational campaign.
"This program explains why certain poultry handling practices at home are risky and provides practical guidance people can take to reduce their risk of food poisoning," according to the university. Research from Drexel's by Jennifer Quinlan, PhD, a professor in nutrition science, backs up the program.
"Washing raw poultry continues to be prevalent in the U.S.," said Quinlan. "But our research shows that people are open to educating themselves as to why washing raw chicken is unnecessary and possibly changing their behavior."
In addition to Quinlan, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urge people not to rinse raw chicken.
"Do not wash raw chicken," said a warning from the CDC. "During washing, chicken juices can spread in the kitchen and contaminate other foods, utensils, and countertops."
A 2019 study by the USDA found that 30% of people who did wash raw chicken before cooking did so to remove blood or slime. Apart from concerns about blood and slime, research from Quinlan and the USDA indicates that family behavior history is a common reason why people wash their raw chicken.
"People think they have to wash or rinse chicken before they cook it for many reasons - because their mama did it, they think they need to remove slime or blood, or they think it's safer," said James E. Rogers, PhD, director of food safety and testing at Consumer Reports, back in 2019. "But doing this may actually increase your chances of getting food poisoning."
Don't Wash Your Chicken said in a Aug. 30 press release that store-bought chicken has already been washed during its manufacturing process.
"Poultry may have a coating of water and protein: this gets cooked off, or you can remove it with a clean paper towel and then wash your hands," said the program.
Most people who reported washing their chicken in the USDA study rinsed it in their sink, where it could potentially spread salmonella. Salads prepared by cooks who washed their chicken had a higher level of cross-contamination than those who did not.
According to Drexel, Salmonella alone accounts for approximately 93 million cases of foodborne illness annually. Raw chicken can also harbor other types of bacteria, including Campylobacter. Adding water to uncooked chicken just gives these bacteria a way to travel.
In order to prepare safe chicken, Don't Wash Your Chicken said cooks should: separate raw chicken from fresh and ready-to-eat foods, keep surfaces clean by washing them with hot, soapy water and cook chicken to 165°F using a food thermometer to kill any dangerous bacteria.
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