Infections from campylobacter, a bacteria commonly found on uncooked chicken, spiked 13% since 2008, according to a new CDC report. “In terms of why the numbers are rising, nobody has any good insight,” says Jennifer Quinlan, PhD, a food safety expert at Drexel University. In the meantime, we can at least take some comfort in knowing that new standards for poultry inspection to make chicken safer are in the works, says the CDC. Is this just more evidence that Big Food is bad business? Well…not really. Surprisingly, research shows that organic raw poultry harbors just as much harmful bacteria as conventional. So while there are plenty of reasons to buy organic chicken, avoiding foodborne illness isn’t one of them. Even if you spring for a grass-fed, free-range chicken from the local farmer’s market, you still need to be smart in the kitchen. Which, happily, is pretty simple. “Campylobacter dies quickly, so the bacteria are easy to control,” Quinlan says. Here’s how:
Don’t bathe your bird. Rinsing raw chicken won’t wash away campylobacter, salmonella, or E. coli. What it could do? Splatter bacteria-rich chicken juice on surrounding surfaces as far as two feet from your skin, Quinlan says. Go from package to pan. “I always season my chicken directly on the Styrofoam tray it comes in, then transfer the chicken right to the pan to minimize the number of surfaces it touches,” says Quinlan. When that’s not possible, you know the drill: Use separate cutting boards and utensils for raw chicken, and clean everything with hot, soapy water. And don’t forget to wash your hands.Or at least plan ahead. Have pans and other ingredients ready and waiting before taking your chicken out of the fridge. That way, you won’t risk accidentally rummaging through cabinets and drawers with dirty hands, Quinlan says.Use a meat thermometer. You probably think you know what fully cooked chicken looks like, but a little insurance never hurt. Always check your bird’s internal temperature to make sure it reads at least 165°F.
