The Dangers of Washing Chicken in the Sink

Now, I present to you a quick public service announcement on the dangers of washing chicken in the kitchen sink. (dunt, dunt, duhhhhhh!!!!)

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For generations people have been washing chicken in their kitchen sinks.

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Now, don’t get me wrong. I didn't always have these feelings of repulsion. Growing up, this was a common practice in my household, and perhaps yours as well. I still have not fully convinced my mother and mother in-law that there is anything wrong with washing chicken in the sink.  Apparently, my family is not the only family that doesn't mind washing chicken in the sink.  A Kansas State University study suggest that "only 31 percent of Americans know that they shouldn't wash chicken in the sink. "
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2014/08/do-russians-know-more-than-americans-about-food-safety/#.VPrzAPnF9XE 

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The biggest  problem with washing chicken in the sink is that it may lead to cross contamination, which may lead to foodborne illness.

As a part of a  2014 study,  the University of California, Davis observed 120 participants while they were preparing a chicken dish in their homes. 84 percent identified as being well informed in regards to food safety. 50 percent of  the participants were observed washing chicken in their kitchen sink, which is interesting considering the percentage of people who were "knowledgeable in food safety"  http://news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=10968

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According to the United States Department of Agriculture(USDA):

“Some consumers think they are removing bacteria and making their meat or poultry safe.
However, some of the bacteria are so tightly attached that you could not remove them no matter how many times you washed. But there are other types of bacteria that can be easily washed off and splashed on the surfaces of your kitchen. Failure to clean these contaminated areas can lead to foodborne illness."

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides guidelines to help prevent cross-contamination:

CLEAN: Wash hands and surfaces often. Illness-causing bacteria can survive in many places around your kitchen, including your hands, utensils, and cutting boards.
Wash hands the right way for 20 seconds with soap and running water. Be sure to scrub the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
Wash surfaces and utensils after each use. Rinsing utensils, countertops, and cutting boards with water won’t do enough to stop bacteria from spreading. Clean utensils and small cutting boards with hot, soapy water. Clean surfaces and cutting boards with a bleach solution.
Wash fruits and veggies—but not meat, poultry, or eggs. Even if you plan to peel fruits and veggies, it’s important to wash them first because bacteria can spread from the outside to the inside as you cut or peel them.

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SEPARATE: Don't cross-contaminate. Even after you’ve cleaned your hands and surfaces thoroughly, raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs can still spread illness-causing bacteria to ready-to-eat foods—unless you keep them separate.
Use separate cutting boards, plates, and utensils for raw (uncooked) produce and for raw (uncooked) meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs.
Keep meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs separate from all other foods while you’re shopping at the grocery store. Keep meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs separate from all other foods in the refrigerator. http://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/prevention.html

So, you are probably asking yourself," How am I gonna clean my chicken?"

I have great news!!!! You don't have to.  According to the USDA:

"Cooking (baking, broiling, boiling, and grilling) to the right temperature kills the bacteria, so washing food is not necessary.”

This means less time preparing food and less chance of spreading bacteria.