Don't Wash Chicken

[xoxoxoBruce]

The Food Standards Agency is telling Brits not to wash chicken.

The government's food watchdog has urged consumers to stop washing chicken before they cook it to avoid contaminating their kitchen with Campylobacter – the most common type of food poisoning in the UK – which can cause death as well as serious health problems.

Research for the Food Standards Agency reveals that more than two-fifths of cooks say they routinely wash chicken as part of their food preparations. But the FSA has warned that splashed water droplets can spread Campylobacter bacteria on to human skin, work surfaces, clothing and cooking equipment.

Campylobacter is responsible for most cases of food poisoning, with around 280,000 people affected in the UK each year, and four out of five cases are caused by contaminated chicken. "While most cases result in people suffering from abdominal pain, severe diarrhoea and vomiting, some cases can lead to more significant health problems," the Food Standards Agency said.