This Food is Responsible for the Most Food Poisoning Outbreaks
It’s what every meat supposedly tastes like, yet will never be replaced by its protein pals.
We’re of course talking about chicken.
And while it’s earth’s most popular protein – Americans eat more chicken every year than any other meat – it’s the food category responsible for the most food poisoning cases in the U.S.
Between 2009 and 2015, chicken was responsible for 3,114 outbreak-related illnesses, or 12 percent of all food poisoning cases. And because we transport, handle, and eat so much chicken, the chances of cross-contamination between raw and/or undercooked chicken with other foods dramatically increases.
Protecting Your Family from Food Poisoning
Safely handling and thoroughly cooking your chicken is essential in wiping out any illness-causing bacteria, particularly salmonella.
The CDC suggests these following food safety tips for chicken:
- Put your chicken in a plastic bag before it goes in the shopping cart or refrigerator to prevent raw juices from contaminating other foods
- Wash your hands with soap before and after handling chicken. You can employ this expert-recommended technique.
- NEVER wash raw chicken (Here’s why.)
- Use a separate cutting board for your chicken
- Use a meat thermometer to make sure chicken is cooked to a safe internal temperature of 165° F.
- Refrigerate leftover chicken within two hours
Obviously chicken isn’t the only food poisoning culprit – keep an eye out for these 14 other surprising foods that could give you food poisoning, too.
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