Despite the fact that multiple scientific studies have proven that washing chicken before eating it can be unhealthy since it aids in the spread of harmful bacteria, many people still do so. This article is for you if you belong to this group.
Since 70% of chicken customers in North America follow this technique, mathematician Scott McCalla of Montana State University in Bozeman wanted to investigate what is the most suggested manner to wash chicken.
The researchers sprayed raw chicken under running taps to see how much water and bacteria sprayed onto neighboring surfaces. The findings revealed that certain parameters have a significant impact on bacterial proliferation.
The faucet’s height above the chicken had the most impact. In comparison to washer hens with taps located 6 inches from this meat, germs traveled 16 inches before hitting a chicken.
Water droplets sprayed more than 22 centimeters into the air in experiments with taps further away, contaminating most of the surrounding area. Droplets splashed only approximately 5 cm high from the bottom taps, and there was a minimal trace of contamination reaching neighboring surfaces.
The researchers also discovered that if they completely turned off a faucet, the initial burst of water sprayed a filthy spray into the air. The dew would gradually diminish if the water was slowly released. Another thing to consider is the texture of the chicken. When water hits the soft surface of the chicken, it forms a small depression, which causes the splash to travel further than it would if the chicken didn’t deform.
Scientists advise reducing dimpling in a new study published in Physics of Fluids
How to wash chicken without getting salmonella:
- Minimize the distance between the faucet and the surface of the chicken.
- Turn on the water gradually
- Avoid leaving the chicken in the water for a long time.
Salmonella and other bacteria can enter raw chicken and cause food poisoning. Even a minor spill can pollute sinks and transfer bacteria to other food groups.
Image Credit: Getty
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