“ Do not wash raw chicken » (translated as “do not wash raw chicken”), this was the message of an awareness campaign launched by the British health authorities to consumers, around ten years ago (source 1). And if since then the message has made sense and in France there has almost never been a question of clean your chicken with water before cooking (outside the religious framework), it may however be interesting to understand the reasons.
Why shouldn’t you clean chicken with water before cooking?
The answer is clear: “Splashing a stream of water over raw chicken before cooking it can promote disseminationby the splashes around the sinkof certain bacteria including the main one, Campylobacter also called chicken bacteria. », Explains Michel Federighi, at the National Veterinary School of Alfort (EnvA).
What you need to know about the bacteria: campylobacter
“ Campylobacter is a bacteria which is very widely present in the digestive tract men and animals, in particular poultry”, presents the website of the Ministry of Agriculture (source 2).
This intestinal bacteria is very present on chicken carcasses and can be disseminated by water, whether on the rest of the chicken but also directly in the sink or on the work surface as well as on the hands which hold the carcass. Michel Federighi, expert in microbiology.
To see more clearly, a video published on the site of Food safety (source 3) illustrates how washing your chicken gives bacteria a way to move throughout your kitchen:
Campybolacter, what real health risks?
“The ingestion of this intestinal bacteria can cause campylobacteriosis, which are relatively common diseases, with more than 300 cases per million inhabitants per year in France,” reports the website of the Ministry of Agriculture (source 2). However, they generally remain benign “except when they rarely develop into Guillain-Barré syndrome condition in which the patient’s immune system attacks the peripheral nerves,” explains microbiology specialist Michel Federighi.
The World Health Organization (WHO) indicates that “Campylobacter is one of the world’s four leading causes of diarrheal disease (source 4).
“Raw chicken bacteria”: people most at risk
These are those whose immune system is fragile – following treatment or illness -, the elderly, pregnant women and newborns may be more sensitive to it.
What are the symptoms of a Campylobacter infection?
“Symptoms appear 1 to 10 days after contamination, most of the time in the form of gastroenteritis », Reports the website of the Ministry of Agriculture. Please note: the infection often heals spontaneously after 7 to 20 days, but can be treated with antibiotics in more serious cases in fragile people.
Associated treatment
” And antimicrobial treatment will be recommended in invasive cases (when the bacteria invades the cells of the intestinal lining and damages the tissues) or to eliminate the bacteria in healthy carriers (individuals who harbor Campylobacter in their body and continue to excrete it while remaining asymptomatic) », indicates the WHO (source 4). In other cases, simple and good rehydration should be enough.
How to properly prepare a whole chicken to limit food poisoning?
Knowing that “chicken bacteria” can be killed by heatIt will be essential to check that it is cooked thoroughly, using a probe thermometer. “The temperature must at least reach 75°C to destroy any bacteria,” recalls the Pasteur Institute (source 5).
When cutting, look at the joint between the chest and the thigh; if the flesh is slightly pink, return to cooking. Michel Federighi, professor at EnvA.
Beyond a lack of cooking, contamination must also be avoided. “These occur when the micro-organisms present on possible contaminated chicken are transferred to a healthy food such as green salad, tomato…” continues Michel Federighi, also co-author of the work Campylobacterpublished by the French Society of Microbiology and coordinated by Drs Haddad Nabila and Tareb Raouf.
To avoid this, we remind you of some reflex actions to adopt:
- When purchasing, check the expiration date carefully.
- “Store your raw chicken on the bottom shelf of the fridge, in an airtight container, to prevent juice from leaking onto other foods,” recommends the Pasteur Institute (source 5). Read all the advice on food preservation in our dedicated article.
- Wash your hands before handling raw meat and in general, before starting to cook.
- Never put your cooked chicken back on the plate or on the cutting board or it was placed when it was still raw. In this regard, provide a cutting board specially dedicated to raw products of animal origin and clean it after each use. Cleaning with dish soap and water and using a scraper is most recommended. Dry it well before storing it.
Sand your board if it is made of wood. This will allow you to remove the thickness of the soiled wood and leave with a clean model as if it were new. Michel Federigui.
- Clean your kitchen utensils frequently. Also change sponges and cloths regularly.
- Disinfect work surfaces before and after use.
“By adopting these few simple hygiene measures, you will therefore avoid the risk of Campylobacter infections but also those linked to other food bacteria such as Salmonella and Clostridium perfringens”, concludes Michel Federighi.