(WIAT) — A tweet by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has sparked quite the argument on if you should or should not wash your raw meat.
Do not wash your chicken, according to the CDC.
Don’t wash your raw chicken! Washing can spread germs from the chicken to other food or utensils in the kitchen.
https://t.co/QlFpd1alG3
pic.twitter.com/bLB1ofcuh7
— CDC (@CDCgov)
April 26, 2019
During washing, chicken juices can spread in the kitchen and contaminate other foods, utensils, and countertops. Use a separate cutting board for raw chicken.
The CDC reports, chicken can be a nutritious choice, but raw chicken is often contaminated with Campylobacter bacteria and sometimes with Salmonella and Clostridium perfringens bacteria.
This Twitter report caught some users who practice different techniques when preparing their meat for consumption off guard.
I’ll keep washing mine, thank you. And washing my hands and sink.
— Jocelyn Dorsey (@Jocelyn67)
April 30, 2019
This is terrible advice
— Meliann Lew (@MeliannLew)
April 30, 2019
After the media frenzy, the CDC followed up.
We didn’t mean to get you all hot about not washing your chicken! But it’s true: kill germs by cooking chicken thoroughly, not washing it. You shouldn’t wash any poultry, meat, or eggs before cooking. They can all spread germs around your kitchen. Don’t wing food safety!
— CDC (@CDCgov)
April 29, 2019
The CDC has a
list of steps
to take in order to prevent food poisoning from ill-prepared food. Don’t wing food safety, so the CDC says.



