Insight

Food safety is one of the most significant challenges in modern public health. Although millions of people prepare poultry every day, some long-established kitchen habits can pose a genuine threat to human health. One of the most widespread misconceptions is that raw chicken should be washed before cooking. Although this may seem like a hygienic precaution at first glance, research by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and leading food safety agencies indicates the opposite: raw chicken should not be washed.

Microbiological Hazards: What Is Lurking on the Surface of Chicken?

Raw chicken may naturally carry pathogenic bacteria, among which Campylobacter and Salmonella pose the greatest risks. These microorganisms cause serious infectious diseases—campylobacteriosis and salmonellosis—which may be characterized by high fever, severe abdominal pain, diarrhea, and, in serious cases, long-term neurological complications.

When raw chicken is rinsed under running water, the water does not remove the bacteria from the meat. Instead, it disperses microscopic droplets containing bacteria into the surrounding environment in the form of aerosols.

An important fact: laboratory studies show that running water can spread bacteria within a radius of approximately 50 centimetres. The bacteria can easily contaminate kitchen surfaces, utensils, towels, nearby foods—such as salad vegetables—and even clothing. In public health, this process is known as cross-contamination.

International Standards and Recommendations

In its “Five Keys to Safer Food,” the World Health Organization clearly emphasizes the importance of keeping raw and cooked foods strictly separate. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations supports the same position, stressing that thorough heat treatment is the only effective and reliable way to destroy harmful microorganisms.

The internal temperature of chicken should reach at least 74°C (165°F), which destroys harmful bacteria. Washing does not kill bacteria—it only contributes to their spread.

HACCP and the Role of the State in Ensuring Food Safety

Preventive mechanisms such as the HACCP system-Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points-play a decisive role in the global food safety framework.

HACCP is a methodology for identifying hazards and managing critical control points. It is used both at the industrial level, throughout the entire farm-to-fork chain, and in food service establishments.

Through official controls, production and supply chains are subject to strict supervision to ensure that consumers receive products that are as safe as possible. Nevertheless, the final and most vulnerable link in the food safety chain remains the consumer in the home kitchen.

For the system to work effectively, HACCP principles-particularly the identification of potential hazards and the management of associated risks—should also be incorporated into everyday household practices. Washing raw poultry is precisely the kind of everyday mistake that undermines food safety measures and increases the risk of infection.

How Should Chicken Be Prepared Safely?

To protect our own health and that of our families, several basic rules should be followed when preparing chicken.

First, do not wash raw chicken. Rely on thorough heat treatment instead, as cooking methods such as boiling, frying, and baking destroy pathogenic microorganisms.

Second, use a separate, designated plastic cutting board for raw meat. It should not be used for cutting vegetables or ready-to-eat foods.

Strict hygiene is essential. After handling raw chicken, wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Knives, utensils, cutting boards, and work surfaces that have come into contact with the meat should also be thoroughly cleaned.

When necessary, use a food thermometer to ensure that the chicken has been cooked completely and has reached a safe internal temperature.

Modern science and international organizations, including the WHO and FAO, agree that washing raw chicken provides no hygienic benefit. On the contrary, it increases the risk of cross-contamination and serious foodborne infections.

Official controls and industrial standards, such as the HACCP system, help ensure food safety during production. Maintaining that safety in the kitchen, however, depends on the informed decisions and proper habits of each individual consumer.
 

Sources

1. World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): reports and guidelines on controlling pathogens in poultry, including JEMRA assessments and Codex Alimentarius standards.

2. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA): research and recommendations concerning the aerosol and cross-contamination risks associated with washing raw poultry.