It’s been a bit more than a year since the chicken problem has been the focus for the Consumers’ Association in the United Kingdom. And after a year of research, six weeks ago, the UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) released its research data. They found high levels of Campylobacter contamination in a fairly narrow range for fresh whole chickens from seven of the country’s major supermarket chains.
In order to regain consumer confidence, the Consumers’ Association urges supermarket chains to take the matter seriously and begin acting upon their new resolutions. A representive believes that if supermarket chains were to make visible changes and coordinated industry wide approach so that consumers can be confident that everything possible is being done to tackle this potentially fatal bug.
But as a consumer, there are a few things you can do yourself to prevent chicken food poisoning.
- Wrap and store the chicken properly in leak-proof packaging so that meat and juices don’t come into contact with any other foods or work surfaces, and wash your hands after handling.
- Refrigerate raw chicken at or below 5 degrees C.
- Don’t wash raw chicken since you could splash any bacteria present onto the sink, worktops, or nearby dishes, increasing cross-contamination.
- Use different chopping boards and knives for preparing raw meat than for preparing other foods, and wash your hands with soap and warm water after handling.
- Cook chicken thoroughly — the inside must be piping hot with no pink bits, and juices must run clear. Cooking at temperatures above 70 degrees C will kill bacteria.
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